Forgotten and Forging New Bonds
by Ema Marsel
Summary: Harry has been forgotten again, by none other then his friends and so called family, he arrives one last time to say good bye before moving on to a different life. Post Hogwarts and Post the Second War.
1. Chapter 1

Hi this is some mindless babble that has been floating around my head. Well it isn't mindless, and I hope you all enjoy it, and there aren't too many mistakes that make it entirely too difficult to understand. Basically, the story is going to be about Harry, after Hogwarts, after the defeat of Voldemort, and what happens when life goes on. I am usually a hard core Harry and Hermione, but in this story it will be different, someone we do not know from the Harry Potter Series.

I hope the beginning is ok; I just want to set some ground precedence for the rest of the story.

Also Harry might be a little bitter in this story; it just seems to work for him. Enjoy and tell me what you think. Oh yes my name is Ema, and I do not own any of the brilliance J.K. Rowling has come to create, I just enjoy my own plots and giving life to a different dimension to her work.

Chapter One:

The Day Had Finally Come

The day had finally come. The day he read about in the society pages of a muggle London paper. "Dr. and Mrs. Granger are happy to announce the engagement between their own daughter, Hermione Aurelia Granger M.D. to Ronald Billius Weasley," and the announcement went on to regale the story of the two meeting in school, becoming friends and finally getting engaged once school was over and they settled into careers.

Let's say he continued to look at the announcement until after his tea had cooled considerably. After he muttered a quick warming spell, he memorized the set date of the wedding and where it was too be held. The announcement added a small gathering of friends and family would celebrate with the couple their coming nuptials. But like all planned "small gatherings" turned out to be a party of 400, and counting.

So when he woke up on that brisk Thursday in late spring, he dressed in formal attire and managed to secure himself a secret spot behind a pillar and be able to watch the ceremony take place.

"Breath Potter," He muttered to himself as the wedding march was banged on the organ keys, "Slow and silent." The wedding party entered, all Weasley's relations someway or another, and then the doors open to reveal, Hermione Granger, in a flowing white dress, march down the isle on her father's arm.

He watched as his two friends exchange loving looks between each other, he mastered their deceptive glances at the age of thirteen when the bickering between the two started to take off. How many times had he caught a strange look coming from Ron, when he and Hermione were studying for Potions, or secret glances from Hermione during dinner when he was seated next to Ron.

From behind his stone pillar he watched the two stand next to each other, dressed in muggle finery and take the blessing of faith, the blessing of magic and the knowledge of the bonded union they were to enter when returning words of love and commitment to each other.

Cries of happiness erupted from the gallery when Ron leaned in to capture the first kiss from his wife, and silently bonded the union completely. As they walked down the isle shaking hands, and hugging family, they rushed into a car that was to take them to the Burrow for a family and friends only reception.

"Well if it isn't Potter." A voice muttered from behind him. He turned and looked straight at a blond headed git. "You taking to the shadows as well then?" Malfoy asked in an aristocratic voice.

"You could say I was torn between which side of the church to sit on, groom side or the bride's side." Harry lied, and Malfoy only nodded.

"I completely understand, my invite must have been lost in the mail as well." Malfoy muttered and watched as the guests hang back and talk awhile allowing the bride and groom a few minutes to get a head. Harry glared at his childhood rival, but nodded back. "Never thought I would see the day when the golden trio was split. Although from what I have heard and observed, it's been broken for awhile."

Harry shrugged and gazed at the Weasley Clan slowly apparating off to the reception and as the crowd thinned, Malfoy asked, "Well shall we make to the reception, I heard the famous Burrow Cakes are to be served promptly."

"Malfoy, one question before we go, why all the civility?" Harry snapped, and Malfoy only smirked in response before muttering.

"Because, you deserved it."

The two companions apparated just outside the party placed an appearance charm on each other and walked into the reception under the guises of Lord James Black, and Damien Savoy, sons of the bride's father's cousins.

The switched some name cards to be seated at the same table near the back of the room not to gain to much attention, but at weddings what percentages are really known on a first name base. The watched the toasting of couples from various friends: Ginerva Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, Colin Creevey.

"Makes you feel kind of sick." Damien Savoy muttered as Dean Thomas, the best man stood beside the groom with a flute of champagne in the air and sang out a love song to the two. Hermione's eyes filled with tears, and when the song came to the end Ron stood and hugged the guy. James Black only snorted in acknowledgment went the first chorus repeated twice. "So when are you going to make your toast?"

James Black whipped his head to his "cousin" and shook it no. "It's their day; I am not here to dismantle it in anyway."

"Wow, Pot-Black you think of that rhyme all by yourself?" He snapped. "Surely you mean to say something; you were their best friend for more than a decade." Harry could only shrug his shoulders.

Damien Savoy leaned over with his butter knife and clanged his "cousins" champagne flute and every eye turned to him. The wedding party shifted its view and the red faced Lord James Black stood.

"Hi, all I would like to toast the couple," Harry stood knowing his disguise was unrecognizable and stares of confusion filled the table of his friends and his once surrogate family. He raised his flute in the air and as he was to congrats and wassail the couple Malfoy elbowed him. "Although I may seem a mere spectator, but from the beginning of this wedding and the reception, I have only come to know the love the two share and the blinding love and compassion they have for friends and family, and the love they have in return. I have come to feel welcome and blessed just to sit in the great presence of this couple," and before he knew it, he felt a light tap on the leg and his eyes connected with Malfoy, who smiled cheekily back at him.

"Cut the crap you tosser." Malfoy muttered and the green eyes pierced his forehead.

The entire party went quiet and all eyes stuck to the man that stood before with the champagne in his hand. Hermione's eyes filled with tears and redness crept up the back of Ron's neck.

"Harry," Hermione whispered breaking the only sound of breathing. Harry held his hand up to her before she could rattle off some piss poor excuse.

"Let me begin again," Harry stared hard at the couple, he looked around the room at the other Weasley Clan, Molly was crying, Arthur looked down but he was disappointed in himself, George looked straight back at him apologizing with his eyes, Bill seemed to preoccupied with what was going on and Percy only seemed to look at him the same way he always did and that Harry nodded to him.

"The day has finally come, a day of forging new bonds, of love, marriage and friendship. A friendship based on day when a bunch of first years took on a troll in the Hogwarts bathroom. The day has come when a book of one life time has been shut and shelved so another can begin anew and refreshed, chains linking from the past cut and tossed aside so a new love can grow and prosper. I just never thought I was one of those chains. Love is a fickle thing, so enjoy it now because it is one feeling that can be earned, and lost in the matter of a lifetime. So I take leave of you now, no longer to bother you as the Boy Who Lived twice, or the Boy Who Was Forgotten, but as a well wisher, I only wish I can bestow half the courtesy you two have shown me for the past two years sometime. Salute and have a happy life, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weasley." Harry raised his flute, all eyes on his, he took one last swig and apparated away.


	2. Weasley Questioning

Damien Savoy was the only person to wassail this bitter toast while the entire party seemed to turn eerie, and a few eyes settled upon his but he stood to refresh his plate from the banquet table.

He arrived only to be greeted by three red heads, Bill, Fred and one was the youngest Weasley with a vagina the first in many generations. He was first verbally assaulted by the boys, he was pushed against the wall and his head made a clear connection with the wood.

"Well that was rather rude." Malfoy snapped stepping towards the two to gain his balance. The brothers glared him down. "What's the matter; you wanted the last corn whisker?" He offered his plate to their noses but their eyes were dead set on him.

"Who are you" "How do you know Harry", were snapped at him at once, and Malfoy only smirked and pointing to his ear. "Sorry boys only can understand one question at a time."

Bill looked at George and nodded, then continued "Did you come with Harry here tonight?" Malfoy shook his head no. "But that is bloody hell impossible, you disillusioned him, and you were with him the entire night."

"I didn't attend this soirée with Harry Potter; I came with Lord James Black." Malfoy replied cheekily as the adjective was becoming a lifestyle that night. The two were turning red in the face from frustration.

"Well then who the bloody fuck are you?" George snapped back in the same cheeky tone.

"Calm down Weasley, don't want to be ruining your little brother's day, be careful he might cast you out of his life as well." Malfoy muttered, but George leaned forward and caught ever word that spewed from the guy's mouth.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" George leaned a tad closer.

"Tonight, I am Damien Savoy, currently enjoying a delightful morsel and then I might have a dance or two another drink but really quite enjoying the evening." Malfoy sputtered and walked away with a plate full of samplers and appetizers, he knew he did not wish to stay longer then the main course.

Once he reached the table, he sat and sampled the food pickily, giving himself away to one Weasley, the third that had yet to say a word to him. Once he finished his plate, or what he felt he wanted, he sauntered over to the bar to refill his drink. The order was place, made and set into the man's hand when he turned to only get a flash of red hair in his face and the drink previously slaved over spilt on his tuxedo.

"Bloody hell." He muttered to himself, and placed the glass on the bar counter only to be fussed over by his attacker. He looked closer and smirked, 'Another Weasley child.' She grabbed a few napkins and started to dab the already stained shirt, he tried to fend off her hands but it was no use.

"I am terribly sorry; please allow me to help you clean up." She mumbled apologetically, and continued to lick the napkin to wet it and touch the stained alcoholic shirt.

"Please, I am fine, do not worry about it." Draco muttered back to her and grabbed her wrist to catch her attention. "Please, it will come out later."

"We really must soak it before the stain starts to set." Ginerva Weasley said ignoring his pleas for being left alone. She pulled him out of the ceremony room to a mildly deserted hallway, so she continued pulling him to a bathroom, but when they located the only vacant loo, she shoved Malfoy up against the door.

His head made a sickening crack against the door.

"Bloody hell, you bint what was that for?" He asked leaning against the door for support and rubbing his sore spot.

"Whatever Malfoy serves you right." She snapped retrieved her wand from some hiding spot and whapped him with a finite incantatem spell and his normal aristocratic look replaced the bland bride's cousin.

He looked across the hall to his reflection, "Feels great to be back in one's normal skin." She shoved him again to the door as he tried to push off of it. "Jeez Miss Weasley, I never knew you to be such a dominatrix." She ignored his catty expression.

"Malfoy what are you doing here?" She muttered her voice low and hitched when his name escaped his lips.

"For the food?" Draco tried and received another whap on the shoulder. He winced inwardly but shrugged. "Potter needed a companion so I came." He was not capable of lying to her and he didn't like to be punched.

"I don't believe you." She said starring into his steely grey eyes giving away no emotion and that physically, emotionally and mentally hurt her. Once upon a time those eyes held so much emotion for her, she could also tell his feelings by the color of his eyes, and they shifted slightly like a mood ring describing personality.

"It doesn't matter what you believe anymore." Draco muttered looking at her with the same hard gaze. This very particular look was his mask look, an impenetrable mask built by a death eater and once destroyed by love. Now the barrier was up again, and she struggled just to get a footing on the shadow of the wall it created.

"Please Draco, why are you here?" She pleaded, and his look softened for a moment by the sound of his first name coming for the goddess that stood before him.

"I am only here to pay my respects." Draco replied. She looked confused.

"Not to confuse you, Malfoy, this is a wedding not a funeral." She said pushing aside a stray curl behind her ear.

"A wedding to some, but I come here to pay my last respects." Draco managed before Gin interrupted his conversation again.

"Pay respects to what?" She pushed the matter on.

"To the ending of one true friendship." Draco muttered, "I paid my respects to Harry, who just terminated his life-

"He is going to commit suicide?"

"NO, he just cut off all ties to you all, and I wanted to watch the one truly good thing left in his life die. Thanks to you all, it's over for the Boy Who Lived." Draco said. "And I wanted to be present to witness the sheer stupidity of you and your entire family as they watched one of the best things in their lives walks away."

Ginny took a step back from the diatribe starring sadly at Draco Malfoy. Here she thought he had come maybe to take a glance at her, maybe get the courage to ask her out again, but here she stood shell-shocked by the information he just bestowed upon her.

Harry quitting the Weasley, almost sounded like an indie rock band, but really it was the Weasley that quit Harry.

"You not only let him walk out of your lives, but you ruined him in the process." Draco said letting his final phrase drop on her like a guillotine blade.

"Draco- I, I don't know what to say." Ginny muttered. "It wasn't like he made the effort to stay in touch. People fall out of touch; it's a way of life."

Draco stared at her, almost wondering what happened to the girl her fell for during his last year of Hogwarts, and the girl that almost became the next Mrs. Malfoy but the disbelief crept through his veins.

"It is a way of life." Draco repeated.

"Yeah you know one of life's obstacles and you either run and fall over it or run at it with a speed and grace hoping to make it through all right. You adjust, and move on." Ginny explained herself. The piercing glare began to bother her and she tried to look away.

"A way of life." Draco muttered again. "Adjust, and move on?" He stared down at her fidgeting with her dress smoothing out imaginary wrinkles. "Well I guess I should get a move on. You know life's obstacles and all." He whispered to Ginny his voice was thick with emotion. It was almost shallow sounding. He looked at her and made ready to apparate with a single breath but her hand grabbed hold of his wrist.

"Draco, - she started to say hoping to make him stay but his lips were on hers, cutting her voice and taking away her breath. He pulled back a little bit so they shared the same air, "Move on from that Gin."

Before another kiss, breath of wink he disappareted from the spot leaving a young lady to lean against the door herself.

************8**

**I just wanted to redo these chapters. I hope you all don't get updated notifications, but I have received multiple questions on the fact of Fred being alive or dead. You must understand I wrote this story years ago, before the seventh book came out. So I felt I should clarify somethings. I had my own idea of how the relationships in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter would come to be, but she did not follow my plan. **

**I saw Harry and Hermione a better match then Ron and Hermione, who only seemed to run on angst for each other. Also, I thought the match between Draco and Ginny would be quite interesting to develop, but it did not come out that way either. So I have redone the first and second chapter so this story is fairly in-canon to the book series, but a few minor details. Harry was in love with Hermione, Ginny and Draco had a thing back in the day. Fred is dead, Molly is still a bitch, and I've decided to leave out the Remus/Tonks love child story line. **

**So please enjoy, I only switched a few words around, and deleted a few names. There will be a new chapter up shortly.**

**Hope you are all having a great day.**


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter was walking down the sidewalk of Diagon Alley. He rarely frequented the alleyway due to painful memories of his past haunting him with every step he took down the street. But this was a recent excursion he had been able to frequent the place without an acute asthmatic attack developing in his chest.

You see, he was quite happy as of late. It had been seven years since the wedding debacle, and though the news had barely said anything of the party-crashing savior, it still pained him when he thought back to the actions.

He was four steps outside of the Pub when he saw a shock of red hair coming running down the street. The child was maybe seven years old and he looked to be escaping his parents. The boy stopped in front of Harry barely stopping before colliding into his legs. Harry gave the child a severe look but winked to keep the kid from crying.

"Your Harry Potter." The kid spit out. Harry nodded and gave him a look at the scar carved into his forehead.

"That I am." He said and saw two figures come running towards them. He recognized the two individuals in a heartbeat and felt his own stop suddenly. 'Damn it' He swore. The pair stopped short but the girl came closer.

"Bruce, what were you thinking, we told you to stay with us." Hermione scolded her son and grabbing his hand. "You gave your dad and I quite a shock when we turned around and didn't see you."

"Look mum, I found Harry Potter." The boy said pointing at Harry. Harry watched the display before him. How would these two react.

"Yes we see that. Thank you Harry." Hermione said looking at Ron and making a face. He reached his hand out to give him a curt handshake. "It sure has been a long time."

"I believe so." Harry said looking at the pair if they were dead. Ever since that day, Harry didn't convey emotions to just anyone. For the first year, he was a corpse walking around a room, keeping himself shut in and barely living.

It was the second year when Draco stepped in and snapped him out of the state. 'Give them something to be jealous about. Make them miss you Potter!' Was the pep talk that got Harry out in the limelight again. Instead of shirking away from a photo-opportunity he gobbled them up. So no matter where the Granger-Weasley's looked, he would be there to remind them of his presence.

"Do you come to the Alley often?" Hermione asked trying to make the awkward tension leave but Ron had yet to say a word and Harry was not about to grovel at their feet. He did save their child, in a manner of speaking.

"Not normally, been travelling a lot recently." Harry replied.

"Yeah." Ron scoffed looking angry at his old best mate. Harry look back at him with a look of what is your problem. "I am sure travelling around with any quidditch team would be hard work."

Harry shrugged and smiled. Ron was jealous, perfection. "I was offered a starting position with the Cannons, but I turned them down." Ron's cheeks were turning bright red and young Bruce smiled at Harry.

"Good idea, the Cannons have gone to pot this last year." The boy supplied and Harry laughed and nodded to the boy. He pulled out of his pocket a slip of paper and signed it then handed it to the boy. It was a signed autograph from Harry Potter. Bruce went crazy.

"Thank you Mr. Potter!" He smiled. "I can't wait to show my friends I met THE Harry Potter. Mum can we go home now and show them?" Ron was now a purplish red color. Hermione nodded and sighed. She looked sadden at the encounter. Ron grabbed his sons arm and steered him toward the pub. Harry smiled as he heard the boy exclaim, "Dad did you know Harry Potter is engaged to Twyla Goodwitch, she is the hottest modelwitch out there. I hope I am famous some day. I mean wow a real celebrity."

Harry laughed and then turned to see Hermione still waiting to talk to him. "What?" He asked responding to the disapproving look she was giving him.

"That was rude Harry." Hermione snapped reprimanding his latest display. "You did not need to do all of that."

"All of what, I knew he wanted an autograph, he asked for one before you two came rambling up." Harry said shrugging and lying to Hermione in the middle of the street. "If you had wanted to avoid this encounter, then maybe you should have kept a better watch on your son."

"Oh Harry, that is not what I meant and you know it." Hermione replied. "This encounter was going to happen sooner or later. We all couldn't avoid each other forever."

"I sure as hell was doing a pretty good job so far." Harry muttered and walked to a window display.

"Well not all of us can afford to travel the globe and living a life that doesn't matter." Hermione said ferociously batting Harry to bite at her remark. Harry just shrugged the comment off.

"Well not all of us can stop talking to their friends. I was just giving Ron and you what you wanted, seclusion, and a life without Harry Potter. I'm not sorry I am famous and Ron isn't. He is the git that could never get two things correct." Harry said shrugging.

Hermione's face was priceless.

"So you like this life?" Hermione asked quietly not wanting to be verbally slapped in the face again by his words.

"It's not always what the picture shows, but yes it is quite fulfilling. I am getting married next month." Harry said quietly.

"To Twyla Goodwitch, yeah it's all over the papers." Hermione said. Harry laughed in her face.

"No, not to Twyla, she is just a good friend of Draco's and Astoria's. He has been trying to hook me up with her since day one, but no I met a sweet girl in America. She is also a friend of Astorias'. She's an academic quite brilliant." Harry said looking at Hermione. "So you and Ron, life is good?"

Hermione's breath was strained, but she nodded, "Yes we are currently living at the Burrow with his parents. Money is a bit tight at the moment with Ron unemployed. He is trying to make a professional quidditch team."

Harry wanted to laugh.

"What about you, are you a healer or in legislation?" Harry asked, he hadn't kept track of his friends, but he did know that Ron had been trying out for different teams, each time getting turned down cause of his poor attitude and lack of skills. Hermione let out another breath.

"No, Ron feels that I should stay home with Bruce. To raise him properly." Hermione said shrugging and again Harry wanted to release a triumphant laugh. He wondered how different life would have been if they had remained friend.

"I see." Harry said and he heard a faint laugh and his head turned to the noise. Draco, Astoria and his fiancé were walking down the Alley. "Well I see my party. It was quite interesting running into your Hermione. Good bye." He said giving her hand a squeeze and ran off to catch his girlfriend around the waist and nuzzling her neck before placing a kiss on her cheek.

Hermione smiled and said. "Good bye Harry Potter."


	4. Year One

Year One, Part One

Two Months

The night was long. Day blurs into night and the world does not make sense. Harry spent about twenty-one hours in complete darkness, becoming annoyed if any sun crept through his window. He had no will to live.

"Master, master please take a bit." The elf encouraged in the minimal lighting which was a dim point on the far wall. Harry whose eyes had sunken into its skull looked at the bread as it was death. Then Harry opened his mouth and managed to take a feeble bit. He then felt a cup to his lips and he tried to swallow a few drops of water.

"That's it Kreacher. Please let me sleep."

Five Months

Harry entered the kitchen to his town house of 12 Grimmauld Place. It was the first time he had been sitting at the table for more than twenty weeks. He spent the days normally hiding in his godfather's old room, away from the world and the sun. The lighting in the kitchen was brighter then he was used too so he spent a few minutes adjusting to the shine.

"Master, please allow Kreacher to make you some stew, you love Kreacher's stew when your friends were here last." Kreacher said not knowing that the memories of Ron and Hermione were a moot point. Harry's eyes began to fill with tears and Kreacher rushed forward to his master. "What's the matter master, did Kreacher do something wrong, I will punish meself master." He started to bang his head into the floor until Harry yelled.

"STOP!"

The elf lay on the floor panting and then looked into his master's eyes. "Master, what did Kreacher do wrong?"

"It was not you Kreacher, but please never mention Miss Granger or Mr. Weasley ever again." Harry said and Kreacher nodded at the command. His sunken eyes scared Kreacher more than anything. Years ago, Harry had green eyes that were full of life and sparkled, but now the young master would stay in bed for eighteen hours a day and Kreacher would have to coax Harry to eat a few bits of bread.

It was nine months ago when Kreacher first began this behavior. It was after the meeting of Harry's last visitor that caused him to go all awkward. He remembered it faintly because of the loud voices coming from the entryway.

"Just leave it alone Harry, just stop." George Weasley said to Harry who was leaning against the door. It had been months since he had any contact with any part of the Weasley Family. He sent owls to every member from Mrs. Weasley to Ginny. He tried connecting to their Floo network but they had disabled their chimney and restricted access to outsiders. He ever tried to visit but with the house being unplotable Harry had no access to enter the land.

"But, what did I do?" Harry asked as he watched the red head descend his stoop. George stood on the second to last step of the stoop and listened to the plea. It was heart breaking but nodded.

"It was the war Harry. It took a lot from us and it is hard to deal with." George said silently.

"But, I lost loved ones as well-

"Do you think I find this easy standing before you asking, no begging you to just stop," George said his voice rising with every word. His wand came from his jacket and was touching Harry's neck, and then his voice got dangerously low, "I can barely look at you Potter, and being this near you makes me want to wretch my insides so they become my outsides, you are the reason I lost my brother. If we had only kept a safe distance from you and your damn cause, Fred would be alive."

"I didn't kill Fred." Harry said his eyes filling with tears listening to his worst fears come to life. "I never wanted any of this."

"Exactly, neither did I." George said glaring at Harry. "So Potter stay out of our lives, we don't want anything to do with you anymore."

Harry started spending more time since that meeting in his bedroom, reading the paper and peering over the society pages. Now it was five months after the wedding and for the first time Harry was sitting in the kitchen watching his house-elf bumbled around the kitchen starting to make his secret stew that Harry loved.

"I am sorry Kreacher." Harry said to nothing really. The house-elf stopped and looked at his master. The look in his eyes did not say anything mean to Harry Potter, just inquisitive eyes that was truly devoted to his master. "I don't know if I ever said so, but sorry."

Twenty minutes later, Harry was eating out of a bowl, feeding his body with the nutrients it so dearly lacked. He was only able to eat two bites before he succumbed to running to the sink basin and vomiting the food. It had been so long since he had real food in his stomach, he was not able to keep the abundance down.

"I think that will be all for tonight Kreacher." Harry said walking away from the sink. "Thank you, it was delicious." The elf grinned at his master and magicked the food to preserve itself in the refrigerator and to clean up any dirty utensil. He followed his master with a tray of bread and water. He found his master sitting in the living room; he was too weak from the purging of his insides.

"Master should eat something." He said placing the tray on the coffee table next to Harry's laying form. "It is not good to be going too long without food." The elf said and gingerly encouraged Harry to take the toast, and he watched as Harry managed to take a few bites then place the toast back down. Harry then managed to drink a few sip of the tea until the cup tumbled out of his hand and fell to the ground.

The cup crumbled to pieces.

Pieces were lying on the floor and both Harry and Kreacher felt the significance.

"I will try better tomorrow Kreacher." Harry said determined as if the pieces was the sign he needed.

"I will clean this up Master." Kreacher said nodding to Harry and went to leave, "I just go get a broom."

"Kreacher, no leave it here." Harry said pointing to the cup. "Don't clean this cub up."

The elf nodded again and bowed out the door. Harry remained on the couch for a few hours before he started his venture to the second floor. "Kreacher!" He called and the elf appeared within a second.

"Master calls?" The elf inquired eagerly.

"Yes, please ready one of the larger bedrooms down here. That will be my primary room." Harry said and walked slowly with Kreacher through the six different bedrooms picking his favorite out of the bunch. He asked Kreacher to magic the walls to change color, and to clean it so there would be no more dust and please replace the linens."

The elf smiled a toothless grin and went about his master's bidding while Harry went to the ensuite bathroom to shower the grime of the past few months away.

After the refreshing shower, spending a good hour to cleanse his hygiene and his past, Harry went about his new bedroom, the room that lacked any memories of his own. He found the double bed clean with new sheets, and most of the wood was polished to shine. Kreacher had left a note for his master that he was going out to stock the pantry and cooling box with food.

Six months later

Since Kreacher magiced that room for Harry, he spent the next six months purging his house of memories since the summer of his fifth year. But he did not rely on magic. He had Kreacher exchange a good chunk of gold into muggle money and set up an account. He spent days cleaning and restoring different rooms of his house. He started first with the significant rooms that held the most memories. The room he shared with Ron, the living room and the kitchen. The wood throughout the house had either been sanded down and refinished or stripped and replaced. The elf maintained Harry's health pulling him away from different projects to feed Harry. For the first few weeks, Harry needed encouragement to eat, but now he was capable of eating an entire meal and keep the food in his stomach.

The elf became more ambitious with his food selection and menus. He was sitting in the kitchen that had been converted into a chef's gourmet kitchen. New stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops shined beautifully with the dark wood cabinets.

The floor was a new shiny stone that Harry allowed Kreacher to pick out. The elf was actually instrumental in the layout of the new kitchen. He picked the wood, the hardware and the flooring. Harry thought it was the best way to transition the elf with the new surroundings.

The house-elf was only happy to serve his master and enjoyed the new updated look of the regal house Black.

Harry was banging around a room on the third floor. He didn't hear the doorbell ring, or the knocker being pounded against the door. Kreacher moved to the door and let the plank of wood swing open and Draco Malfoy was standing on the front step. Kreacher's eyes went large. "Master Malfoy." The elf mumbled meekly.

Draco rolled his eyes. "No, not yet. My father is still alive." Draco said bypassing the house-elf and stepped into the front hallway. "I see the place has been redecorated." The elf nodded. "Is your master home?"

The elf nodded for the second time and snapped his fingers. Then a few minutes later Harry Potter descended the new dark oak steps. Draco's pale gray eyes followed Harry and watched without reacting as Harry pulled back his arm and then the fist collided with his face. Arms were flying about and soon the two were scuffling around on the floor. Rolling back and forth trying to get years of aggression and pent up rage out with each punch. It lasted another three minutes until the two were lying on the tile floor breathing heavily.

"My house-elf said I had a visitor. I didn't know scum could visit?" Harry asked while staring at the ceiling and trying to master his heavy breathing. It had been awhile since he got into a punching match with anyone. It felt like both guys were a winner.

"You would be surprised what scum is capable of doing." Draco said and stood up. Then he held out his hand to help him to his feet. Harry did not take the offered hand at first and looked at it instinctively then put his hand and allowed Draco to pull him up. "Been renovating Potter?"

"Some might say renovating." Harry said looking around the newly lit entryway, and the bare walls that no longer contained the elf heads and the screeching painting of Mrs. Black had found a new residence in the house.

"What would you call it?"

"The purging of my past."

"Well that sounds delightfully poetic." Draco said sarcastically and followed Harry throughout the house as the boy who lived gave him a grand tour. It was not requested, but Harry needed to show the progress he had come over the past six months. Piecing together a new house and to Show it to someone and if Draco was going to be that someone, he was fine with the new development.

They ended up in the most recent bedroom. It was the last bedroom and he was halfway through tearing out the floor. "So, what color are you going to use in this room." Draco asked, so far he had seen a lilac room, a gray room, a blue, red and light yellow room. Most of the rooms had some form of wainscoting, and different paneling. The floors were touched up or changed, and the furniture in the room did not resemble the previous pieces that were either moldy or beyond repair.

Draco was impressed at the craftiness of Harry Potter.

"I have no clue." Harry said tossing a ring of color swatches at Draco who caught it with a Keeper's agility. "Pick one out; it can be your room." Draco laughed but Harry didn't act like he was joking. "Well I was always partial to brown."

Then Harry showed Draco to the paint store where he bought most of the paint. He paid with his muggle money and then the two set out painting the last bedroom. Draco moved about his new room when it was finished. It was furnished with a light wood bed, and silver linens.

It was later that evening in the kitchen that Draco and Harry sat at the kitchen island eating cold roast beef sandwiches and potato crisps. "Potter, you never told me how you got the Mrs. Black painting off the wall, how did you do it?" Draco asked.

Harry chuckled at the question, "Its hanging in Kreacher's private chambers. I told the house-elf he could use any artwork in the house to decorate his room. He choose the painting and the next morning it was gone. When I asked how he was able to move it when no other wizards prior attempts were able to move it."

"Yeah?" Draco asked.

"He said he kept it up with elf magic. I guess it's pretty strong wicked stuff." Harry said, "And all he had to do was snap his fingers and the picture came off the wall." He started laughing at the simple answer of the elf and Draco found the story humorous and let out a chuckle.

Fine

**Ok, so there is the next installment. I got such a wonderful response to the latest chapters, I thought you guys would like it extended. I finished it to give the story some closure, but found it to be an interesting piece and I had some new direction.**

**So, I will tell how Harry got from the wedding through the next seven years when he meets the Granger-Weasley's in Diagon Alley.**

**Please if you don't mind, give me a review.**


	5. Year Two, Part One

Year Two, Part One

It was the knock at the door that disturbed the pacing of Kreacher. The house-elf had been pacing to and fro throughout different rooms of the house. He had been worrying and only finding solace by walking from wall to wall.

The knock on the door caused the house-elf to rush towards the front door. He was torn between on what action to take. The master of the house was not within the household, but he had also been missing. Kreacher unlatched the door and the youngest Malfoy heir was standing on the stoop.

"Master Malfoy!" The elf squeaked and moved aside to allow Draco to enter the house. Draco walked through looking about the entry way. "Master Harry is not home."

Draco looked at the elf. "Then why did you allow me in?" He knew house-elf code and conduct and he knew that without a household member present, a house-elf is not allowed to let anyone through the door. The elf started to shuffle again. "Kreacher, where is Harry Potter?"

The elf looked as if he was struggling. He had been ordered to mind his business. "The master has been different lately." The elf struggled with his words and looked down at his fingers. "Since he finished with Grimmauld Place, master has been different vices to forget the past."

Draco watched silently urging the elf to continue.

"He has been growing a fondness towards the muggle drink." The elf explained and motioned Draco to follow him down the hallway. In the family room located on the first floor, there were different bottles strewn everywhere. Vodka, rum, scotch, whiskey and gin. It looked as if there had been a party. "All by himself Master Malfoy." The elf supplied the information.

"When did you last see him?" Draco asked now totally alarmed at the state of Harry Potter. It had been three weeks since his last visit. The boy who lived seemed perfectly normal, just a little fanatic about finishing his house.

"I has not seen him in over two days."

************************************************************

Sixteen hours had passed since Draco left Grimmauld Place and the house-elf that began crying when he mentioned his master's disappearance. He knew the only immediate danger for Harry was drinking himself to death. Ever since the end of the war, the wizarding populations had no ill feeling towards the boy who lived. Draco only hoped that Harry was drinking in the wizarding world.

If the scar-head was drinking in the muggle. Well he might as well be lost.

He was tempted to send out letters to the various pubs, bars and local nightlife hangouts, but he knew Harry was a target for gossip being in the celebrity status. He didn't want his face in the negative light. So Draco had been bouncing around different wizarding haunts looking for any sign of Harry Potter.

It was in the hamlet town of Hogsmeade did Draco find Harry Potter sitting outside of the Madam Rosmerta's pub.

"Harry freaking Potter." Draco snapped walking up to the man leaning against the wall. Harry's head moved from one side to the other. "Well thank Merlin you are still alive." He muttered and bent over to grab his arm. "Come on Potter, before we wake anyone."

"What ha bluudy hell you doin he're?" Harry stumbled through his words as he felt Draco pull him off the ground. "Leave'e me alone!" Harry yelled throwing his arm away from the hand. He looked up at Draco, his green eyes dead to the world.

"God damn it Potter, get up." He snapped pulling him again to his feet. The early light of the morning was brightening and it would only be a matter of time that Harry would wake the neighbors or they would wake themselves and find the hero of the world asleep in his own vomit.

"Mafoy, leeb me alone." Harry said. He was now standing but leaning against the wall and staring at the ground. It was spinning but Harry was used to it. "Wat do yous want witb me?"

"I am trying to help you." Draco said plainly and pulled out his wand, but drunken Harry was still quick Harry and Draco felt a strong force push him to the ground. It had been a silent hex that causes the opponent to knock them down. He felt a wicked sense of déjà vu back to the fifth year when Harry had stunned him with the dark magic curse.

"I said lebe me alone!" Harry yelled but from the ground Draco raised his want and stunned Harry with the body binding curse and the drunken man fell to the ground. Draco walked over to him.

"God damn boy who lived." He held his wand to Harry's head and apparated to Grimmauld Place.

*************

Two hours later.

He felt like he was coming off of a drug addiction.

"Potter, you better not die." Malfoy threatened and then he pressed a wet compress onto the scarred forehead. The moment they returned back to the house, the house-elf nearly wet him and helped Draco pull Harry up the stairs to the master's bedroom. They put him on the bed and Draco undid the magic binds he placed on Harry, but his body had remained rigid and within the hour he was reacting negatively to the alcohol and developed a fever.

Harry blacked out again.

Another two hours passed.

"Why didn't you call me sooner?" A female voice entered his head. He felt a different set of hands on his head. He was too out of it to see her face but longer blonde hair fell around his face when she looked down at him. "Is this Harry Potter?" The girl asked Draco.

"I thought it was just some hangover." Draco muttered in response to her first question. The girl went about her procedures and started prodding Harry in various places with her wand. Her face came back to his view.

"Are you an angel?" Harry asked.

The woman looked down, her warm blue eyes smiled at him. "Mr. Potter, I am a healer from Saint Mungos, I am here to help you." Harry nodded but only fell back into delirium.

"Draco, what did you do to Harry Potter?"

"I didn't do anything to him!" Draco snapped at the healer. He shouldn't have called for her. He could have taken care of the stupid alcoholic himself. "I found him like this, we fought a bit, and now he is like that!"

The healer moved about the room avoiding any contact with Draco. She retrieved her medical bag and set it on the bed next to Harry. She was humming to herself as she pulled different vials. Draco watched her with curious eyes. Her sinuous movements were mesmerizing to the young Malfoy heir. She walked back up to Harry Potter and felt his forehead.

"He is running a fever." She said and magicked his mouth open and poured a greenish liquid down his throat. She then resumed prodding him with her wand. His breathing began to lighten and the healer turned back to face Draco. "I will be back in a few hours to check on his progressed. Stay here and watch him."

She began to walk away as she made the last demand. "Astoria!" Draco snapped into life. She turned and her warm blue eyes turned stormy. He visibly shrunk in front of her eyes. They were pushing all the tension that existed between as a force. It was so powerful it seemed like live magic reticulating between each other.

"What?" She finally relented allowing Draco some dignity.

"You just can't tell me what to do!" Draco whined and any dignity he might have had flew out the window like an owl-post. She wanted to laugh in his face but her disposition was not in the laughing mood. She rolled her eyes and opened the door.

"I think I just did." Astoria said, "I will be back in a few hours."

*********

**I am sorry about this chapter. I am not too happy with it, but I wanted to just get a chapter out that allowed some leeway with the story. I had some interesting reviews to my story. Thanks for reviewing, I liked reading them. I hope you will continue reviewing. **


	6. Year Two, Part Two

Year Two, Part 2

It was a few hours later when Astoria Greengrass, lesser daughter and healer extraordinaire returned to the doorstep of Grimmauld Place. She was hesitant to go the one more step and be on the landing. She knew some magical houses had charmed front stoops that notified the habitants inside, but there was one person inside those walls she was not ready to face.

Draco Malfoy had been an enigma in her life from the moment she met him.

Draco bleeding Malfoy had been the bane of her existence for the past seven months. He had stupidly made a mistake with his spell work one day and ended up coming to the urgency room at St. Mungos. She had been unfortunately on-call that night and ended up being assigned the curtain Draco was sitting in.

"_Hello sir." Astoria said while drawing back curtain. She had grown use to pulling back the curtain and finding all sorts of magic maladies. She once pulled back the curtain to find a pair that had been magicked together while apparating, and then had tried to solve it themselves and morphed their body parts to resemble animals. _

_So when she pulled back the privacy curtain that surrounded the patient, she found Draco Malfoy sitting on the bed covered in scales and spots. She had to stop herself from laughing. She had seen the Malfoy heir before at the parties her parents pulled her too. He had been the picture perfect aristocrat and now sitting before her was a young man who had done something foolish._

"_Sorry about the wait, we were a little backed up." She said pulling out his initial chart and looking over the medi-witch had put together. It looked like he had not given any details about his current condition. "Mr. Malfoy, I see you have yet to explain what happened. We need to know before we can determine the next path for treatment."_

_The blonde man rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Can't you just give me a potion to make it go away?"_

"_I am sorry, but it doesn't work like that." Astoria said standing before him. "What kind of spells were you using?"_

_Draco looked into her eyes. "You seem familiar, how do I know you?" _

_She sighed again, "Mr. Malfoy I am just a healer trying to correct whatever you have done to yourself. Now please tell me?"_

"_I was fooling around with some magical products." Draco said. In fact he actually had been messing around with a Weasley Wizarding Wheezes product. It had been a trial sample left in his possession and he was using it as target practice to release some pent up aggression towards the Weasley name. There had been a multitude of curses he sent, and he didn't quite notice the effects until he regained consciousness._

"_I don't really know which spell caused this." Draco admitted._

_Astoria nodded and began prodding him with her wand. The wandwork did require a bit of concentration but Astoria had a knack for multitasking. "When did you first notice the symptoms?" _

"_When I woke up." Draco responded to the question. It was the truth. _

"_You just happened to wake up like this?" Astoria asked and prodded extra hard in his stomach. He doubled over from the jab. "Sorry." _

"_No. I woke up like after passing out."_

"_What caused you to pass out?" Astoria asked genuinely concerned for the man._

"_Probably the sheer force from hitting my head against a wall." Draco replied. She nodded and placed her wand on the tray and went to the cabinet. His eyes followed her movements and took pleasure in the fine figure of the woman. She seemed familiar, he had seen the dark blue eyes before and he could not find their place in his memory. "Did you happen to go to Hogwarts?"_

"_No." She answered the question directly. _

"_Where did you go to school then?" Draco asked forgetting that there were other schools outside the existence of Hogwarts._

"_I received my education on the continent." Astoria said pulling out a vial of clear liquid. She handed it to him. "Drink this; it should clear up most of the magical reaction." He tried a sip of it at first. It was not pleasant but the look he received from the healer made him swallow the rest in one gulp. _

_Instantly his skin cleared to its normal alabaster pigment. "Why couldn't the medi-witch just give this to me?"_

"_Cause that is not our protocol Mr. Malfoy." She said and resumed her examination but with her fingers. She palpated his head, checking to see he had no residual damage done to his cranium. It was just a swollen knot where the skull had collided with some harder object. Draco jumped when she placed her finger on the knob. "Sorry." She breathed. _

_She extracted herself from examining his body, and went back to her medicine cabinet. She pulled out one more vial. "Here take a spoon full of this, once every few hours to help with the pain." Astoria handed the vial to him and he took her hand into his own fist. _

"_How do I know you?" He asked looking directly into her eyes._

"_Ever hurt yourself badly before?" Astoria asked and slipped her fingers from his, and offered a simple smile. "Come back if the pain worsens."_

_*****_

So she was standing on the stoop. It was not the most professional place for her to be dawdling, so she summoned up her courage and continued on her way. Astoria knocked on the door and found the house-elf gesturing into the house. He looked forlorn for good news about his master.

"Master Harry has been talking." The house-elf said glancing nervously at the stairs. "Stuffs that does not sit well with the Master Malfoy."

It was then when she heard some scuffling and a loud bang from upstairs. She hurried up the stairs wondering if the noise was coming from Harry's room. She found the door open, and Draco was standing over Harry pointing his wand to his throat.

"It's not a perfect world Potter, god damn it, if it was you would be married to the girl we both loved." His voice got dangerously low and Astoria had to strain her ears to hear his words. Then she watched as Harry underhanded Draco with a tripping curse and the duel started over again.

It ended this time with Draco standing over Harry once more but there was a thin line of blood on Harry's forehead. "DRACO!" She snapped stomping into the room.

His head whipped around and glared at her, and then he saw it was Astoria and a look of dismay spread across his beautiful face. "What, he started it!"

"What did I tell you to do when I left?" She snapped and walked over to Harry Potter who was breathing heavily on the floor. "Are you alright?" Her harsh tone changed and a soothing voice was addressing Harry. She put her hand on his head and magicked a quick healing spell for his forehead and noticed his fever had broken.

Harry watched her with guarded eyes. He allowed her to pull him up and then direct him to his bed. He sat back down like an invalid and allowed the stranger to do a proper medical exam. His eyes went to Draco's and he saw that the other man looked like he was going to kill. "Who the bloody hell is this?" Harry finally asked when she stepped away.

"Like I tried telling you before Potter, she is an associate I called to make sure you weren't dying." Draco bit the answer as he watched Astoria's hand moved about Harry's abdomen checking for any bodily trauma.

"You don't seem like Draco's usual associate he cavorts with." Harry said directly to the girl who laughed at his insinuation. She looked at Draco who was standing in the same spot with his hands tightly wound into fists and looking like he was squeezing so hard that his blood was not circulating.

"I don't cavort with anyone." Astoria said and continued her examination, slowing a bit to drag on Draco's agony. It was payback for some interesting situations he had put her in. She nearly giggled when Harry let out a fake moan and Draco snapping and stomping over to the door. She let out a laugh when his footsteps echoed farther away. "That was brilliant."

"Thanks." Harry said but his eyes were still dead from exhaustion and the drinking. "So what is your name?"

"I would be Astoria Greengrass, Healer from St. Mungos, but I have been doing mostly freelance work building my own practice." Astoria explained shortly. She was trying to extract herself from the chaotic hours of the medical field. "Draco knows me, and thought it prudent a healer came to look over your condition."

"It was only a little alcohol." Harry explained.

"He said that you dueled a bit." Astoria said finishing her examination and handing him a vial. It was a similar pain reduction potion. "That will help with the pain." Harry smiled and handed the bottle back to the healer.

"Probably schooled the ferret." Harry muttered knowing that he had been on the losing end of the duel. She laughed at the animal reference. "You didn't go to Hogwarts did you?" She was startled by his abrupt question.

"No, I didn't. Why do you ask?" Astoria asked putting her medicine bag into order.

"Well I had a friend that would've probably noticed you." Harry said shrugging, "But you seem familiar. Did you sister go to Hogwarts?"

She laughed and nodded, "Mr. Potter I think you are the first person to come to that connection without help." He smiled but only half heartedly. "My sister Daphne was in Slytherin." The name felt familiar in Harry's mind that he nodded. "Did you know her?"

"Not on a personal level, you have different hair." Harry said remembering a vivid mane of black flocking around with Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. "So that is how you know Draco?"

"Lord no, I never truly met Draco until a year ago, when he needed medical assistance." She said looking up at Harry, "And I just happened to be the healer lucky enough to pull back his curtain."

The two had a few more minutes of amiable conversation until Astoria felt the need to return to her post. She had a few rotations till she was finished with her training. Harry was feeling like his normal self stood on the stairs spying at Draco showing Astoria out. He was hovering quite close to the girl, but never touching her, like he was comfortable enough to be in her personal space without awkward tension.

"I will see you later." Draco whispered breathily as she scooted out the door and she only smiled over her shoulder. This gesture caused Draco to feel the lining of his stomach itch with excitement. He shut the door and Harry was smirking. "What?"

"That was sick." Harry said plainly and finished descending the steps. "But I guess, thanks for saving my life. That almost makes us even." Harry joked darkly not wanting to provoke dark memories for Draco, but it happened.

The pair walked into the kitchen. "Well now that you are better, are you going to need me to supervise you each day, so you don't resort back to your alcoholic tendencies?"

Harry shook his head to Draco's question. It was earlier that afternoon when he had demanded that Kreacher throw out any liquor that might be in the residence and ban any more to enter the house unless there was a specific reason. The elf happily did away with the accursed drink.

"I only drank, so I could forget." Harry said allowing the finality of his statement fall upon a silent room. It was a feeling Draco battled almost every day. "I need something to occupy my mind so I don't dwell."

"Get a god damn hobby." Draco said. He looked about the house. "Hell you have enough talent to redecorate and renovate a house by yourself, do that."

"I don't think building houses is the hobby I am looking for." Harry said taking a bit of his cold roast beef sandwich his house-elf put before him. He was thinking about all the different things he could do. He could play quidditch, but that only reminded him of the past. School was always a possibility, but he didn't want to make any commitment until he was for certain. He found himself very limited in his choices.

"Maybe instead of building them, you could do the charitable thing and donate to rebuild them." Draco thought out loud. "You know save the world one more house at a time." He said making his own dark joke referencing the past but Harry looked intrigued by the idea. "It was only an idea."

"I do have a large amount of money." Harry said, "Plus I have connections that have a lot of money as well." He nudged Draco in the arm. "It sounds like an interesting idea, a Potter Foundation."

"I was only joking, and the only way you will get money from me is when you pry it from my cold dead fingers." Draco said swallowing his bite. He had been put in charge of the Malfoy Family Trusts, though his mother was a semi-chairman allowing her access to all the accounts. Draco was the one stuck with the paper work and responsibilities.

"I wasn't going to ask you." Harry replied, "No need to be a ponce."

And at that meal, while breaking bread after the worst hangover imaginable, Harry Potter made the decision to create the Potter Foundation.

**********

I hope you like it. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

Year Four, January

He pulled open the door to the newly built office building of Potter Foundation. It had been a whirlwind of ideas, meetings and fundraisers. He had met with goblins, and government officials. He also talked with school friends, and wealthy families about his idea for the Potter Foundation, and the combination of part of his own personal fortune, and the contributions of others he had a significant amount of money to begin his foundation.

"Sawyer?" He called out to his personal assistant. He found her eight months ago while doing interviews for staff positions. Since he acquired such a large amount of money in a short time he had to put together a board of advisors, and different aides to work for the foundation. Then Sawyer Winnick came into the board room handing, was able to sort through his piles of paperwork, and help him find her resume. He hired her on the spot for his personal assistant, and since then, she was practically his number two.

He was looking around the art gallery first floor. It resembled a green house building, from the floor to the ceiling, it was encased in glass. There was also an assortment of different fauna growing throughout the first floor. There was also a soft sound of water trickling from the fountain that continuously flowed throughout the day.

"At my desk." She replied, and Harry continued up the stairs to her desk. "Hello Mr. Potter, it is good to see you today."

Harry smiled and continued into his office. She followed behind with her legendary yellow legal-pad. "I have your schedule for you to check over." She said handing him a sheet of paper and Harry skimmed the top of the paper.

"It looks fine." Harry said putting it aside and set about his morning routine. He would come into the office, walk about the building and saying hi to the different workers. Sawyer followed behind as he opened his office door.

"Sir, I don't think you looked closely to your schedule." Sawyer said and handed the sheet back to her boss. She watched as his green eyes skimmed the schedule more closely. There was a board meeting with the other trustees, a meeting with the current headmistress of Hogwarts and Minister of Magic. This was a normal occurrence since the ending of the second war. It had been seven years but he still kept a regular meeting with the top heads of the magical world. Then he had some office work, which continued to…

"What is this Sawyer?" Harry asked looking at his afternoon appointments. "A robe fitting?"

"Yes, it is on there." She said making a move to go to her desk.

"Why is there a robe fitting on my schedule." Harry asked following his assistant as if she was his boss. "I did not approve of any robe fitting."

"I know, I took the initiative." Sawyer said pulling her drawer open. She then started to pile different folders on to her desk. "After the board meeting, I will have these proposals for you to go through and sign with your approval." Sawyer was ignoring his questioning eyes.

"Sawyer?" Harry asked putting his demanding presence in front of her desk.

"Mr. Potter, you really should get on your way or you might be late."

"Miss Winnick, I am not leaving this office until you tell me why you approved of a robe fitting." Harry snapped and angry grey eyes snapped up to look into his green eyes. He had never taken a tone with her before, and he was getting a little out of control.

"I approved of this meeting, because Miss Greengrass made an appointment for you." She said in a dangerously low voice. Harry nodded head realizing he over-stepped with his attitude. He offered her a grin, but continued out the door to attend his board meeting.

******

Forty-seven minutes later Harry was sitting opposite to half of his board finishing up negotiations on an idea to generate more revenue for the foundation.

"I really think we should discuss buying into the Weasley stock." A man said, "Their sales are through the roof, and if we invest into their business think of the money we could generate from the business venture."

"No." Harry said looking directly at the man.

"But Mr. Potter, it really is a smart business move." Another man said, but Harry ignored his pleas.

"I said no before and again I am saying no." He snapped slamming his folder shut. "We are not hemorrhaging for contributions, and I started this foundation to be a non-profit organization. Not a business."

"What you don't understand but we could expand the company to be a profit organization." A first man said. He had been an annoying addition to Harry's board. His family had bought him a seat on the board after contributing a large sum of gold to the foundation's coffers. He had been greedy, and money hungry and felt his seat made him a chairman.

"I don't want a profit organization." Harry said in a serious tone. "I know you are new to this arrangement, Stewart but this is not a business to make money, but to do good." He glared at Stewart and stood from the table. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if that is all I have a meeting with the Minister." They all smiled and waved him out of the board room.

He walked with a silenced temerity as he walked back to his office. Harry felt proud for standing up to the board again to the idea of joining forces with the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes without having to divulge his real reason for not buying up the business stock. But he was still guarded his happiness because he felt badly for treating Sawyer with such disdain.

He had seen her wrath first hand, when she got angry at her fiancé, and he vowed to never be on the receiving end of her anger. He approached his office and heard the tone of Draco Malfoy trying to woo the pants off his assistant. Harry laughed knowing that if she had any anger it probably filtered out on to Malfoy's failed attempts to flirt with her.

"Really Miss Sawyer, did you get my flowers the other day?" Draco asked and Harry heard Sawyer groaned and he had to stifle his chuckle. There had been a large display of roses, lilies and sunflowers delivered to Harry's office for Sawyer, and it did not come with a note. He figured it was either from Sawyer's fiancé, but he was not prone to big gestures. He figured Arnold had said something wrong that weekend, and the flowers were a way to apologize to Sawyer.

"Those were from you?" She asked disapprovingly. "Mr. Malfoy, I have told you before, I am ENGAGED!"

"Ahaa, but not totally spoken for!" Draco said laughing, "I still have a chance!"

Harry walked in at that moment and smiled at Sawyer. "Malfoy quit harassing my assistant." Draco turned and nodded at Harry. He motioned for Draco to walk into his office. "Besides if anyone gets her it's me."

They only heard Sawyer groan into her hands at his comment before she was drowned out by their laughter. Harry went to his desk while the Malfoy heir placed himself in one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk.

"So what do I owe this visit from the exalted Malfoy heir himself?" Harry asked pulling on the top folder and glanced over the paragraph. It was a proposal to help set up a fund for orphaned kids be able to pay for school supplies. Harry signed it right away.

"Well, I deemed you worthy of my presence." Draco said looking at his finger nails. He had a habit of checking up on Harry every few weeks, or every few days. There hadn't been an incident like the alcohol since that day, but he felt since the foundation was going so well, he wanted to make sure Harry wasn't getting too distracted with some abusive attitude.

"Thank you, you kind sir." Harry said signing his name on the next proposal but stopping to flash Draco a smile.

"Sawyer said you were at your board meeting, how did it go?" Draco asked.

"There is this stupid new board member; do you know a Stewart Larsen?" Harry replied to Draco's question, the two had formed a friendly bond that allowed them to keep in touch, but not overly friendly.

"Larsen, as in Larsen shipping?' Draco asked and Harry's head acquiesced with a nod. "I met the older Larsen a couple of times when he would come around to visit Father, and Mother, but I never met their son. Why is he a pompous ass?"

"That is putting it lightly." And Harry continued into telling Draco about the family buying the son a membership position when they donated a large sum of gold to his foundation. He saw the connotations behind it, but he could sacrifice his sanity a couple hours a month to receive such a large sum of money from one family. Now he was wishing he could rethink this deal.

"Well, it sounds like a smart business move, but I can understand your hesitations." Draco said and watched at Harry put aside another folder without marking his pen to the paper. "But you were right to say that the non-profit organization is not for personal advancement." Harry nodded.

"Why the hell are you really here?" Harry finally asked looking Draco in the eyes. "I have a meeting with the Minister and McGonagall in twenty minutes, plus all of this work."

"What I find is if you just sign your name to everything, your work gets done faster." Draco said shifting his shoulders up and down. He had recently finished wizarding law school, and was in the throes of studying for the wand exam. He had offered Harry a multitude of help with business deals and advice on board members and his mission statement.

"Yeah, I used to do that." Harry said, "But then Sawyer started checking over my work." Draco laughed and Harry flushed a bit. His assistant was more like a daunting conscience that would rein its opinion on any part of his life. "But you didn't answer my question, what the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Draco shrugged again, "I heard a rumor that you had a date this afternoon with Miss Astoria Greengrass."

Harry smirked at his friend. The plot thickened to a consistency of clam chowder. He thought of all the wicked ways he could torment his friend. Draco had been dancing around; a romantic entanglement was probably the easiest way to describe their relationship, for the past few months. They were never a real item but yet Draco never was serious when flirting with any other witch. It was just Draco's attitude.

"In fact I do." Harry said nonchalantly putting another file aside.

"That's it?' Draco asked.

"It to what?"

"That is all you are going to say to me?" Draco asked getting a little angry. "Alright, what will this date entail?"

"I know it has something to do with robes, I don't know if it involves taking them off, putting them on, or a combination of the two." Harry replied raucously and he watched as Draco's hand gripped the handles of the chair tightly. "I don't know Draco; you said she is a crazy woman."

"I didn't mean like that Potter!" Draco snapped and Harry's eyebrow lifted a centimeter.

"Merlin's balls Draco calm down." Harry replied and dipped his quill into his ink well. He signed his name approving yet another grant. "Astoria made an appointment with Sawyer for a robe fitting. I don't know any more details then that. You might go ask my assistant, but how you harassed her earlier; I'm strongly betting you won't be getting anymore information out of her." Harry said grinning wickedly and glanced at his clock on the wall. "If you want to see Professor McGonagall, and the Minister, I would suggest you stick around,"

"You know, I was never her favorite." Draco said getting up from his seat. In fact, Draco had not seen any professors from Hogwarts since the day of the last battle, and he planned on keeping it that way. "Just so we know, when it comes to Astoria-

"Malfoy, you really should just make her make you an honest man." Harry joked wickedly and watched as Draco offered him a rude gesture and sauntered out the door. Harry heard Draco flirt his good bye to Sawyer and she snapped at him to get the hell out of the office.

*****

He had finished his meetings, and had his lunch at his desk while he reviewed over the remaining proposals when there was a knock on his door.

"Come in!" He called while swallowing his roast beef sandwich and crisps. He took a sip of his butterbeer to clear his throat and the door opened to reveal Sawyer and Astoria. He audibly cursed at the pair but neither winced at his words.

"Your afternoon appointment is here sir." Sawyer grimaced maliciously. This was her way at striking back for his attitude, and allowing Draco to harass her so thoroughly this morning.

"Get out of her Sawyer, before I owl Malfoy to come back." Harry snapped and the assistant just laughed as she returned to her desk and pulled the door to shut. Harry observed the fair witch standing before him. She hadn't really changed in the past months. Her hair had grown a few inches, but he figured that was relatively unimportant in descriptions. Harry had become to view Astoria as a good friend, but he still held her at an arm's length. He never truly shared his entire opinion, and never came forth with so much information, and refrained from becoming attached.

From what he garnered from her attitude, she had no problem with the arrangement he created. But today she seemed different; she was wearing a cream colored dress and dark leggings. Her hair was flowing which he noticed was a difference; she normally had it tied back. But then he hardly saw her in purely personal settings.

"Are you done scrutinizing me?" Astoria demanded with a mocking tone. She did have one thing over all the other persons in Harry's life; she had the authority to joke around with him. He was not one for too much camaraderie but with Astoria a glimmer of the past Harry came out at moments.

"No." He replied simply and continued to take in her appearance, and he began to feel a prickle of pain in his nose. Being a healer, Astoria understood quite a lot about the bodily functions, and she was able to curse people to sneeze. It was how she retaliated. "Ok, let me sneeze!"

She released the curse, and Harry let out a walloping sneeze. "Mr. Potter are you feeling under the weather, perhaps we should make an appointment to see if you are healthy."

"You just want to get your ruddy hands on me again." His wink full of mirth and a rosy glow presented itself on her cheeks. He stood up and went to retrieve his jacket. "So where are you taking me today?"

"For a robe fitting." Astoria said and allowed him to put on his jacket before taking his arm, and leaving the office. They walked in a comfortable silence. "What did you mean when you said to Sawyer that you would call Draco to return?"

Harry laughed and explained about the earlier ordeal. Astoria rolled her eyes, and they apparated to the store front of Madam Malkins. Within the store, he sat on a chair while Astoria went about selecting different varieties and colors for Harry to purchase. Madam Malkin was assisting them today, and she regaled to Astoria how much Harry has grown over the years. He had no need to talk, and just prance around like a little doll Astoria was using, but he knew there was some ulterior motive for the afternoon's escapade.

They were just finishing up pinning the last formal robe when he looked directly into her eyes. "Astoria, why did you take me shopping today?"

"I wouldn't call this shopping Harry." She said dismissively and went to browse some of the new outfits of the season. "It would only constitute as shopping if we went to three stores to try on robes. I know you have little patience for such things."

"You also know I have little patience when people do not answer my questions." Harry growled at her face and winced as Madam Malkin purposefully pricked him with a pin. He glared at her but she held another pin to the fabric and stared menacingly back into his eyes.

"Harry, I am not your subordinate, the minister of magic, or your house elf, I do not have to answer everything you ask me, and I will definitely not answer when you sulk." She snapped and pulled another robe from a pile. It was lilac and there was no way in hell he was going to purchase a robe that was lilac.

He watched observing the situation for a moment, and decided another approach. "So Draco came to me with all sorts of questions today."

"Well men normally have a lot of questions." Astoria replied looking at a fuchsia blouse. He could tell by her body language that she was not as dismissive at the subject change as she was trying to pretend.

"Yeah, but he seemed quite interested in our little outing this afternoon." Harry mentioned while he slipped the robe off of his head and handed the fabric carefully to Madam Malkin. He stepped down from the stool and walked to where Astoria was standing while putting his shirt back on. "Seemed quite moody that it was just you and me."

She rolled her eyes and turned to help him tie his tie. "Well I told him he had no reason to worry."

"Maybe you should ask him." He offered as she tightened the knot on his tie and then he was grasping for air. "Astoria!"

She released him from her hold. "You are ridiculous Harry Potter." She started to walk away when Harry caught her hand. He pulled her close to his body and invaded her personal space. He felt her breath catch when he allowed for his hand to move from her arm up to her shoulder to capture her cheek in a fond embrace.

He brought his face close to hers and he watched her eyes contemplate his lips. "Astoria." He whispered and she hummed a response. "Do you find my lips in satisfactory health?" He cracked up, he had no sexual drive towards her, but he was still able to make a girl go weak in the knees. Astoria pushed away from his body. "You know I told Draco I would be respectable around you."

"Well that was blown to hell." She rolled her eyes and they walked from the store. Madam Malkin had Harry's account on file, and the funds would be withdrawn for the attire he had just purchased.

The entered the ice cream Shoppe and each ordered a cone, even though it was near freezing temperatures outside. "Will you please tell me why we went robe shopping, if you wanted to see me, you could have just come by the house?"

"This is not just a pleasant meeting Harry." Astoria said, "You know about the fundraiser tonight The Coalition is putting on, and the proceeds of the event is going to your developmental research fund?"

Yes Harry knew, he had known for months ever since they booked tonight months in advance to make sure he would attend the damn gala. He had tried for weeks to rearrange his schedule so that Sawyer would double or triple book him for engagements, but she was meticulous about his schedule, he was not even allowed to alter it without her knowledge.

He had no problem with attending fundraiser, creating a non-profit organization with his name in the title would be a stupid idea if he hated going to fundraisers. It was The Coalition. It was a single name of the multi-media group that had been hounding Harry for all sorts of personal interviews. First it was little media spots, but soon their tabloids started following Harry around making him a martyr of any situation.

Then there was the interviews they wanted, and he turned down about 97 percent of the offers. He had no need for money, so they couldn't bribe him for his words, and he didn't need any coverage. Harry liked being Harry, but The Coalition almost seemed out for blood. He wasn't surprised it was run by some American billionaire who took pleasure in ruining people's lives, and the hypocrisy of the matter, is they were desperate enough to throw a fundraiser for Harry's organization to get closer to Harry.

They could throw all the money they had at his organization, he was not going to bend over and allow them an all access pass into his life.

"Yes, I know about the damn fundraiser." Harry said spitefully and pushed his ice cream away. The bitter taste filled his mouth when he remembered tonight's engagements.

Astoria gave him an inquisitive look.

"What, I don't want to go." He said shrugging his shoulders. He explained the situation and when he saw the happy gleam in her eye, he was afraid to ask.

"That's perfect Harry!" She laughed. "I have devised a plan for you this evening."

"Is that the reason for the new dress robes-?

"God no, you just needed some new dress robes, but my plan for tonight is you won't be going alone." She said interrupting his question.

"I won't be going alone; you and Malfoy will be there." Harry explained, he made sure to subject Malfoy to every obnoxious gala he had to attend. Malfoy was on the list of his major contributors and being a close acquaintance to Harry helped the Malfoy's re-establish themselves among the population.

Narcissa was his main party coordinator. She was also a person he valued their respect and happiness. It was funny the turn of events that have taken place since the ending of the war. Harry was often seen escorting Narcissa Malfoy to gala functions, and fundraisers for his organization, whenever Draco had a date or was unable to attend the function.

"I didn't mean that, you will have a date for this function." Astoria said. "A girl your age, and I think you two will get along famously."

"Why do people say that?" Harry asked about her phrase, "Get along famously, do you mean that literally, or is there a difference between getting along, and getting along famously."

"Well tonight you will see." Astoria said and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

*******

It was hours later when Harry was sitting in the entry way to his fundraiser. It was a weird style where the people would descend a stair case and be introduced to the party as they arrived. Astoria and Draco had yet to arrive with his blind date, and Narcissa had already entered the party. There had been a few witch and wizards that chatted with him, but he was busy trying not to get to nervous.

"Harry." Her heard Astoria call out to him. He took a deep breath and turned to find a trio walking towards him. Draco was looking quite handsome in his formal robes, and Astoria was wearing a gown that glittered gold, and the third person of their trio, Harry knew right away.

It was Twyla Goodwitch, model/actress extraordinaire. The woman that appeared on as many magazine covers as Harry. He gave her a smile and held out his hand.

"Hello, I am Harry Potter." He said and she took his hand graciously. Draco and Astoria lingered for a few moments explaining the reason they were delayed, due to some late consultation of Astoria's. He waited a bit before he stepped forward to enter the gala.

"Nice to meet you Harry, I am Twyla-

"Goodwitch, yes I know." He said smiling. He approved of her attire, it was a tight red gown that hugged her bodice and flowed out at the knees, and Astoria made a fine choice in blind dates, but he was afraid her physical appearance was the extent of her positive attributes.

"Thank you for being able to attend this gala with me." Harry said putting her hand in the crook of his elbow. She smiled and nodded.

"I was swindled into it." Twyla admitted and Harry looked directly into her lavender eyes questioningly.

"Swindled, please tell me how you got swindled into being my date?" Harry asked, needing a good story to calm his nerves. She seemed normal enough, not gushing over his contributions and his amazing feats at defeating voldemort. She hadn't even looked at his scar.

She started telling a story of being a friend of Astoria back in school, and making a bet with Astoria a few months back about a different friend of theirs getting married. "Well I lost." She said as they entered into the hallway of photo flashes. "And she made me agree to a blind date."

"So, you are only here with me because you lost a bet?' Harry asked acting like he was hurt. She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"If she had told me she was going to set me up with Harry Potter, I would have agreed way before this." She said seductively into his ear and pulled Harry in front of the group of photographers. The group went hysterical catching Harry and Twyla together. He smiled politely and allowed her to put on a show for the crowd.

"MISS GOODWITCH, ARE YOU AND HARRY TOGETHER?" One reporter asked.

She gave him a delightful smile, but did not answer the question. The hallway was just to collect pictures of the wealthy elite that came to celebrate tonight.

"HARRY, HARRY ARE YOU TWO ENGAGED?"

"Potter if you were any more ridged I would say you were a corpse." She whispered into his ear while poking him in the side. "Lighten up."

She was a natural with the press. She smiled at all the right cues, and even answered a few questions, explaining that the two were friends joining efforts to raise some money for Harry's Research and Development fund.

She went into no detail about their relationship and then near the very end of the session Harry leant down and whispered into her ear. "Astoria was right."

"About what?" Twyla asked.

"She remarked earlier that we would get along 'famously.'" Harry explained and the two laughed at the joke and entered the ball room. The party was not horribly wicked, and Harry actually had a delightful time with Twyla on his arm. The Coalition was excited that he chose tonight to step out with the famous actress and did not press him for any details or asked for any kind of interview.

Plus, they made quite a bit of money.

*******

Harry and Twyla's date was slowly coming to an end. He was driving her home in the town car he hired for the evening. The fundraiser was in magical society, but both he and Twyla kept residences outside the magical realm. It was beginning to be early morning when they pulled in front of her house.

He opened the door and offered a hand to help her from the car.

"Thanks Harry." She said and remained holding his hand as they worked their ways up her front steps. He smiled, but he knew she was not for him.

She made him laugh; feel at ease, but there was no spark. A spark of friendship, but no romance.

Twyla touched her wand to the door and the locks sprung apart, and she turned to face Harry. "Tonight was a lot of fun." She dropped his hand. He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I should punch you in the face."

He laughed. "Why is that?"

"You took a bold move, do you not know who I am Potter?" Twyla demanded jokingly. They had hinted at flirtation all throughout the night, but he figured it was a show for Astoria.

"Not really." Harry shrugged joking in return. "Please tell me."

Her eyes twinkled from the starlight. "I am Twyla Goodwitch, the new type of witch; I don't wait around for my man to make the first move."

"Good thing I am not your _man_." Harry said laughing. "It has been fun but did you really see this continuing?"

"Good no, you are too dreadfully boring, if you don't mind me saying." She laughed and punched him in the shoulder and he took the blow admirably.

He held his hand out, "How about friends?" He offered his hand as a sign of friendship. Tonight was a new turn in his life. He felt grateful for Astoria for badgering into his life, but he also found that saying the term friend, did not hurt him.

She took his offered hand, and the handshake turned into a hug and while he held her to his body she murmured, "You know what this means, Astoria is going to have a cow that her plan didn't work out."

He laughed and they parted ways for the night.

*******

**Here is a bit of fun writing. I had running around my brain for the past few days. I never was going to have a romantic entanglement with Twyla, she and Sawyer are just going to be characters that move Harry into a more trusting place for relationships. I hope you enjoyed it, and reviews are always welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8

Year Four, July

He sat in his office, bored. Last week they had celebrated the two year anniversary of the Potter Foundation's existence. The foundation was thriving, they had double the money they started out with, and even more contributions coming in almost daily. They developed into a relief organization offering services of educational help, research and building schools. The foundation also accepted donations in the forms of money, food, clothing and appliances. They provided temporary housing for victims of all types.

It was a very wonderful foundation. Harry loved every minute building it, and watching it become successful, but sitting behind the desk recently, he found out was not the future he wanted. He wanted to give back to the community, muggle and magical, but he also was desiring more. He could not settle for just the Potter Foundation.

His life had changed a bit over the past three months. His blind date with Twyla proved to be quite the scandal and even though they decided on a friendship, he could not help but feel the least bit attracted to her physically. They met up occasionally in public for lunch, or dinner making a spectacle wherever they went, normally due to their innocent public displays of affection.

One week he remembered a lunch conversation with Twyla quite fondly. They were sitting at a regular restaurant of theirs; some Italian café located on one of the many alleyways the extended from Diagon Alley.

_It was a Thursday, he remembered quite vividly because he almost kicked that Larsen kid off the board for the third time. He suggested that the board members be in charge of their own individual charity, and the way he presented his idea it made it seem like a slush fund was set up for each board member to give away their money where they saw fit._

_Harry and the majority of the board did away with this idea. _

_The kid was such a greedy bastard._

_It was chilly outside, and Harry was bundled in his wool coat and he entered the café, running late. He saw Twyla wave over at him, but she noticed another man sitting at the table. She normally attracted the attention of any male in her close surroundings, and she never remained alone for long. But this guy was sitting closer than a casual acquaintence would. He walked warily towards the duet, but eventually stood before the table._

"_So sorry Twyla." He said and kissed her cheek politely. The two from the beginning had been quite affectionate, and with each gesture, Harry became more and more comfortable with other public displays of affection from any person. "Stupid Larsen held up the board meeting again." He said looking at the man, more like taking in stock of his immediate competition. _

"_It ok Harry." She said returning the smile and motioned for him to sit in the remaining chair. "Charles here kept me occupied, and I didn't even notice you being late."_

_He smiled, so the man had a name. _

"_Oh sorry, Harry this Charles Degualle." She introduced the two and Harry held out his hand to the man, "Charles this is Harry Potter." _

"_Like as in the airport?" Harry asked looking at the young man. He had been quite interested in architecture as a kid, and remembered watching a program on the Dursley's television about the airport, and the interesting facts about it._

"_No," The man looked at Harry daringly and Harry saw visible defeat when Harry sat down next to Twyla. _

"_Thanks for keeping my girl company." Harry said giving her another quick kiss on the cheek and took her hand in his. "I am always afraid that I will show up some time and she won't be here, and has run off with some random bloke." _

_The man smile faltered at Harry and stood up from the table excusing for some reason and leaving. Harry smiled and Twyla glared at him. "You didn't have to do that."_

"_I know, but it was fun." Harry said getting up from the chair next to her, and taking the spot across. It freaked him out when people would sit at a restaurant and sit next to each other. It caused for awkward conversation. He pulled out his business portfolio and set it on the table. _

"_I had it perfectly under control." Twyla still remained annoyed at his quick dismissal of her previous companion. "I told him I had a lunch date and that he could remain until you arrived."_

"_Well that was smart of you." Harry said and opened the folio and began singing his name to a few more proposals. He normally tried to avoid working during lunch, but he needed to catch up or Gwen was going to hurt him. _

"_Don't take that tone with me Harry." Twyla said pushing her water away. "I am not one of your employees, besides I was having a perfectly delightful conversation with Charles."_

"_I am not taking a tone with you Twyla." He said not glancing up from the papers. A request for funds to explore the Arctic Circle for sources of magic, he exnayed that proposal putting an x on the top corner of the top sheet. "Besides, you are the one who suggested the lunch date, I didn't know it was an open invitation for anyone else we thought should join. If I had known that I would have brought some random stranger off the street as well."_

"_He wasn't some random stranger." She seethed through her teeth. "I met him earlier this morning while shopping and we struck up a conversation."_

"_Oh well, that makes all the difference."_

"_I am not your girlfriend Harry; we are not dating so you do not have the right to send away any guy that comes to flirt with me." She snapped placing her fork down in her salad bowl and pushing it away._

"_I know we are not dating, but I do have the right to turn away from schmuck when we are supposed to be having a lunch date." Harry said taking a bit of bread and returned to his proposals. _

"_How is it fair that you can work during our lunch, but I can't have a delightful conversation with a friend?" She snapped, "Where is the equality in that?"_

_Harry laughed and shut his portfolio and returned it to his satchel. "Twyla, my darling, there is quite a different between me working during lunch and you talking to a friend you met this morning."_

_It was the direct connection of the point of her heel into his shin that Harry got that he was in immediate danger, or another part of his body was in danger. He put his portfolio away into his satchel and bowed his head, "Twyla I am sorry, nor do I want to fight with you anymore. Besides, Charles was a schmuck, and I did not need to have him fawning all over you during our lunch." He gave her a smile and she rolled her eyes at the placating gesture._

"_Will you stop with all this entitlement shit." She said rolling her eyes at his tone. "And I can do with some fawning; I don't get enough of it."_

_He laughed at her. The little argument worked itself out by the time their main course came out. She had ordered some chicken and noodles plate while Harry got the mushroom tortellini's. The man was completely forgotten when their ordered their dessert, Tiramisu for Twyla and some type of cheesecake for Harry. It was during this portion of the meal when Twyla turned quiet._

"_Harry, I have something to tell you." She said putting her dessert fork on the plate. It was extremely unusual because she would normally devour her dessert and then she would return to talking. _

"_What's up?" He asked still munching on his strawberry cheesecake. _

"_I have been seeing someone." She whispered. He looked up from his cake and into her eyes. _

_This was far from news to him. He figured it was only a matter of time that she remained single. Their companionship in the tabloids was a farce, and he was not surprised that she finally confessed her situation at lunch. "Is this the reason you invited me to lunch?"_

_Twyla nodded her head. She was under the impression that Harry was mad, his stoic personality made him so hard to read, that she always assumed he was in the worst of temperaments. They always had the most interesting of relationships, at the beginning it was fun and almost flippant, but at times she was unaware of his feelings for her. Twyla Goodwitch did not enjoy having her feelings messed with, she normally was the witch doing the messing. No she did not want Harry all to herself, but if he asked, she would give a relationship a shot. _

_He was freaking Harry Potter…_

_He was good looking, a natural flirt, and had some of the largest hands she had seen. The man not only saved the wizarding world twice without even batting an eyelash, and he set up a charity with a good portion of his own wealth to help the less fortunate of the world. And again he was hot._

_Her carnal urge almost won out, but she did not want to destroy their delicate friendship. She understood from a conversation with Astoria that, Harry was not a man to trifle with, and not only Astoria but Draco would come down upon her with so much pain her head would spin. _

_Astoria also told her of some past experiences she witness of Harry, and some encounters Draco had confided in Astoria. She was wary when it came to telling him about her relationship with this other man. But he had also proven useful, while the tabloids and wizarding scum that assumed Harry and her were hot and heavy, it allowed Twyla to become friends with a man, and then eventually lovers without the watchful eye of the paparazzi throwing their relationship out to the public to devour and digest._

_Being a celebrity had it hardships. _

_But here she sat at a casual lunch, and didn't know where to go. "Yeah." She said pathetically. _

"_So what is this are you breaking up with me?" He laughed and took her hand into his. "Do you want me to fight this new guy for you?" She giggled and extracted her hand. Twyla felt like she was duping him with the extra knowledge she knew about his past. _

"_No, I just wanted to tell you before some media person finds out." Twyla said delicately. "I didn't want to surprise you._

"_I'm not breakable Twyla, besides what we have is fake." He said eyeing her suspiciously. _

"_I know that I was just being careful-_

"_Why, what for?" Harry demanded and put his own fork down. Twyla at this point had her hands at her sides. She looked miserable. She was having an internal battle over to divulge the information she had become privy to, or just say lie. Harry had become quite the savior over the past few months, becoming the stable partner in crime she had been desperately seeking. She found that she could have a compatible friendship with a man that didn't involve sex. She didn't want to ruin it._

"_It's nothing Harry." Twyla said picking a middle path to tread on but Harry was not convinced._

"_Yes it is, what are you talking about?" He demanded the answer more urgently. _

"_It's just something Astoria said," Twyla said looking at her cake. If only she had stuck to eating, none of this would be happening. _

"_What did Astoria say?" Harry's voice dipped low. He almost growled out the order._

"_She just told me a bit of your past, and warned me that I should tread delicately with you." Twyla said. Harry nodded. Not just a few times, but he nodded his head for about three minutes. "It wasn't horrible Harry, nothing bad. She just told me about your past and why you don't drink." He continued to nod. "Really Harry, I just truly value our friendship, I didn't want to hurt you."_

_The nodding continued. _

"_Harry please say something." She pleaded. He had been quiet for far too long._

"_Who is the guy?" Harry asked abruptly that Twyla nearly shook with shock. _

"_What?"_

"_Your boyfriend, or would he be your man friend?" Harry asked glancing at his watch to check the time. He didn't want to have it out at lunch, or discuss his past. It was his past and something he could live with, just not here at lunch._

"_Um, his name is Martin Quimbley." Twyla explained her eyes still guarded and watched Harry nod and digest the information._

"_As in Quimbley International?" Harry asked, he had become quite the business mogul since starting the charity. He knew about all types of business and all different men that ran them. Quimbley International was a family owned business that was created two generations ago and expanded into one of the largest companies today. They did all sorts of import/exports and technology. They owned the rights to the fastest broom on the market, and Harry was dying to get his hand on the latest product. _

"_Yes." Twyla replied frankly. It had been a whirlwind friendship, meeting at a party of a friend of a friends, and they had been secretly seeing each other ever since. He just recently proposed the idea to be exclusive, but they figured her faux relationship with Harry was convenient to allow them time to strengthen their relationship._

"_Damn," Was the only word Harry could say. _

******8

Harry sat in his office with his feet on his desk. He was only able to achieve this position because Gwen was off on her stupid honey moon. Her new husband grew wary of the threats his fiancé was going to be snatched away from him by the likes of Harry and Draco; he pushed for a quick elopement. Anyway, he allowed her to take a three week vacation for her honeymoon, which he planned without their knowledge, a private villa on a secluded beach in southern France.

With Gwen gone, he was given more free time to avoid the amounting paper work, and allow his mind to drift on the past few weeks. After the truthful lunch date, Harry got to meet Twyla's new guy. Martin was stocky man, balding, but had a quick wit and even a sharper humor. For a better description, those of you who know Harry Goldenblatt from Sex and the City, Charlotte York eventually ends up with a bald lawyer. That is what I am picturing for Martin.

He was not dashing, nor extremely handsome, but he had a pleasant face and a happy disposition. He saw why, they allowed for the relationship to remain under wraps and the farce between Harry and Twyla to continue. The amount of media attention Twyla received would only destroy Martin. He even shook hands with Harry when they first met thanking him for all he did.

Then for the next few weeks Harry developed another friendly relationship with Martin Quimbley. He often would join in on random lunch dates, but he was welcome and allowed for Harry to get work done while the two flirted. He felt like a chaperone, but he was perfectly fine with the situation. Quimbley International practically opened its banking vault to the Potter Foundation, and then donated all sorts of player memorabilia, and old racing brooms for auction and to offer to students.

Harry was also given permission to test out the latest racing broom product. Martin proved to be an avid rider and player of quidditch. Draco and Martin became friendly and soon the three would be found on weekends playing a pick-up game of quidditch with some of the staff at Quimbley International.

He was sitting in his desk when an owl flew into his window, delivering the post and some odd letters. One from Astoria confirming her attendance at the next gala, which was a few weeks away, two from Gwen reminding him to read some odd memos, and sign a couple of things, and the last was from Martin, inviting him over for a surprise.

He looked at the previous letters from Gwen, and the one in his hand from Martin and an internal struggle happened, to do the right thing, or to do the fun thing. Harry put the correspondence down, signed quickly a few proposals without glancing over the first page, and then hurried out the door pulling it shut.

He apparated quickly to the office building of the Quimbleys' and was greeted as he entered by Martin's secretary Maude. If there was ever a person that fit their name, it was Maude. From the few times he was introduced, the only color she wore was mauve and he guessed she was mauderately weird. He smiled warily at her, but she motioned for him to follow.

"Miss Senacle, would you happen to be related to Luna Lovegood?" Harry inquired innocently but the secretary shook her head and directed Harry where he could find Martin. He was in the training facility.

He opened the door and admired the quidditch field. He was still amazed at what magic could accomplish. A practice quidditch field is only a few feet smaller then a normal sized one, and there were even benches for people to observe the broomsticks. Harry took a place on the bench watching the brooms glide effortlessly by their riders around the room. They were making spectacular dives and crazy rolls appear to be the easiest thing. Harry was impressed.

It was then Martin noticed him and waved him over to the other side of the pitch. He was chatting with a person in a lab coat. It was weird, he never thought when it come to designing brooms a lab would be needed.

The person was leaving when Harry reached Martin. "So this is what you do for work?" Harry motioned to the broomstick riders. Martin chuckled, "Must be hard being you."

"As opposed to just giving away money?" Martin dished the sarcasm right back to Harry.

"True." Harry said, "So what did you need me for?"

It was then a rider landed. "Well Harry, I thought out of all the people who needed a new broomstick. You would." Martin said taking the proffered broomstick from the rider. It was one of the newest proto-types the company had developed. It was to go on the market at Christmas time, and only a few people in the world had the new broom.

Harry held out his hands and Martin placed the handle into them. "What?"

"It's a birthday present." Martin said laughing at the stunned Harry Potter. He clapped him on the shoulder. "Happy Birthday Harry." Then the rider that had been holding the broom took off their training mask and there stood Draco. The other riders landed, and each revealed someone close to Harry. Gwen had returned early from her honeymoon, but she was glowing while standing with her husband. Astoria stood next to Draco but they didn't hold each other. Twyla landed next to Martin and took his hand. There were a few other riders who played pick-up quidditch matches smiling at him and then Mrs. Malfoy and Kreacher came out wheeling a cake.

It was a normal shape, but an enchanted picture played out in the icing. It was Harry riding a broomstick and waving at a crowd. He thanked everyone and they cut into the cake.

Gwen came walking up to him, "So I see you totally ignored my directions."

"Oh Miss Winn- No Mrs. Tate now, you are hardly the threat on paper, when in person." He laughed and took a bite of his cake. "How was the honeymoon?"

He directed this question to Arnold because Gwen was still glaring at him, "It was amazing Mr. Potter, thank you so much for the surprise." He shook Harry's hand.

"Arnold, I think you can stop calling me Mr. Potter now." Harry said.

"Oh right Mr. Potter; however can we repay you for such kindness?" The man said smiling graciously at the birthday boy. Harry had actually forgotten it was his birthday. It had been nearly four years since he celebrated his last one. July 31st was just another day on the calendar.

"I think naming your first son after me will do." He smirked at the puce color Gwen turned and she pulled Arnold away before he promised to do so. Draco came ambling over, his arm around Astoria's waist casually. Harry's eyebrow arched at the public display but Astoria anxiously stepped away.

"Oh happy birthday Harry." She said hugging him. "We have been trying to think of ways to surprise you."

"Well congratulation." Harry said. "You did a good job."

"Yeah, it was my idea to have Mauve to bring you upstairs." Draco said using their pet name for Martin's secretary. "I don't think Martin could have held it together." Astoria batted him on the arm for the rude nickname but Harry and Draco both laughed silently. The party was a fun distraction.

It was a splendid way to end the day.

*******8

He returned to the office the next morning to find Gwen cleaning up his office, and organizing his work into separate piles. He stood in the doorway admiring the way she worked. She hummed to herself, and worked so diligently showing her true admiration for the charity.

"You are going to make one incredible mother some day." Harry said smiling at her. She was startled for a moment and continued about his desk. He placed his briefcase on the floor. His sleek office was impressing, but Harry had no want to sit in there anymore. She smiled at him while carrying out the folders of signed business documents.

He needed to give her a raise.

It was about mid-morning when he was walking out with his new broom over his shoulder when found Gwen glaring intently at some manila folders. "Oh you are still here." He said shuffling his feet. He had hoped she was out to get some things, or send off the proposals/documents. Harry was the boss in theory, but really the foundation was run by Gwen.

"Where do you think you are going?" She inquired looking at the broomstick in hand.

"I just thought I would go try out my new broom." Harry shrugged, "And before you snap at me, yes I did check my schedule and know I have a free hour."

"You did have a free hour." Gwen agreed, and Harry looked positively pompous for a moment, "But not anymore."

"What why?!" Harry almost yelled while whining and Gwen's eyes opened giving him an interesting look. "I mean to say, what has happened in the last few moments to rearrange my schedule?"

"That is a better approach." Gwen said, "Well I guess the answer to your question would be the sheer stupidity on your part is what rearranged your schedule."

Sheer stupidity, her tone, and the humming, this was a different Gwen. The sea must have changed her, or her new name gave her a different attitude that Harry was not adjusting to like. "Mrs. Tate could you happen to be pregnant?"

"WHAT MR. POTTER?" She yelled.

"Just, the entire new attitude, could be the hormones from the pregnancy, I heard a woman can be quite ghastly when she is expecting, and the first baby is always the worst!" Harry was treading dangerously close to never having children himself. The look on his assistant's face was priceless, the color resembled mauve.

"Mr. Potter." Gwen managed to grit through her teeth.

"Well no matter what the sex, I think a new Harry or Harriet in the world will be quite amazing."

"I swear to god." Gwen said, "I am not pregnant."

"Oh, to bad then." Harry laughed off. "So what stupid thing have I done?"

"Remember that stack of files I left on your desk to review?" She asked showing a few in her hand.

"Yeah." Harry responded. "I finished reviewing and signing them last night."

"Did you review every last one?" Gwen asked, "Carefully?"

It was true the last few he just haphazardly scrawled his name across the line. He figured it was just some funds for some random school, or something. The look on her face meant otherwise. "What's the matter?"

"You signed one that I specifically said to watch for." She nearly throttled his neck and threw the folder at him. He caught it and read the first few lines. His face fell. It was a secondary request for some organization over in the States. He had given them money the first time, but normally for second request, Harry and the board would review the documents carefully. The board had ruled against giving the business any more support. It was some research group that was testing new theories. When they had written their decision to the group, a young researcher, possibly head of the group had written again, asking for Mr. Potter to come and visit their various facilities before closing the doors forever.

He had signed that piece of paper stating he would go.

"Shit." He muttered and looked at Gwen. "Isn't there something you can do about this?"

She shook her head, "No Mr. Potter, at the very beginning, you said that your signature was binding, and they probably already received confirmation that you will be coming to visit."

It was true. They had set up some magical charms to deal with the ongoing correspondence. If Harry approved of a proposal, a charmed letter was developed and sent to the group, organization or person stating that they will be receiving more word from the Potter Foundation. He also made it a purpose to go over each proposal diligently and commit to every decision he made.

"Shit."

Gwen nodded along with him.

******8

**Oh shit. Harry made a mistake and now he is off to go visit some facilities. Thanks to all that reviewed, and those who added me to their favorite. I think I need to answer some questions. I started writing this story long before the seventh book came out. I have decided to keep it as close to the storyline with most of the characters. Remus is dead. **

**Mostly everyone from Hogwarts is no longer apart of his life, and to respond to one review, the reason I made Harry so dramatic, its because he just didn't loose touch with friends, they were his family. How often do you lose your family?**

**Well I hope you liked this chapter. I will be writing more soon!**

**Ema.**


	9. Travelling

**Oh craptastic, I made a mistake in the last chapter. Sawyer is supposed to be Sawyer. OOPS! Do not hate me. **

**To the dear and wonderful readers that make it to this chapter, I have to tell you that you are awesome. Please review!**

******8

_Dear Mister Potter_

_Upon receiving your letter stating that you were coming to visit us at the Institute I knew you were making the correct decision. I think you realized the hasty decision you made with our renewal request. We look forward to showing you the important research your funding provides us to perform. _

_A representative of the institute will come to meet you at the airport. We have living accommodations at the institute for you to reside in during your stay. The entire institute is looking forward to your visit._

_Seymour Blanks_

_Director of Positron Locators_

***********8

It was the letter from the positron institute he received the following morning as he drove to the airport with Sawyer. He had some last minute contracts and business papers to sign, plus a conversation he wanted to have with Sawyer. The trip was an open-ended trip which seemed oxymoronic but he had no idea when he would be returning to England.

"And this is the last one sir." Sawyer said setting the last folder on Harry's lap. It was the last proposal he would be signing for at least today. He signed it and set it aside. "Well that is it. Are you ready for your trip, packed everything that you will need?"

"Yes Sawyer." Harry said looking out at the rainy weather.

"Phone charger?" She checked. Harry just recently purchased a contract with a cellular company. He got a phone for himself, one for Sawyer, and a second phone in case he broke his first phone.

"Yes Sawyer." He said winking at her. "I am perfectly packed because my assistant packed my luggage already." Sawyer rolled her eyes.

"This assistant seems pretty invaluable." Sawyer said placing the folders into her messenger bag. It was charmed to extend with size, and organize the folders perfectly.

"Yes I would have to agree." Harry said and opening his own carrying case. "Oh I have one more contract for both of our signatures."

"Why would I need to sign a contract?" Sawyer asked looking at her nails and closely examining her cuticles.

"I just need you to sign on the bottom line." Harry said shoving the contract on to her lap and shoving a pen into her hands.

"Mr. Potter, I am not going to sign some contract you shove into my face. I will need to look it over closely." Sawyer said looking down at the cover page.

"We don't have time for you to read over the contract because I must be present when you sign the contract." Harry explained to his assistant. "And since we are coming up fast to the airport how about I just tell you what the contract entails."

"That would be fine." Sawyer asked putting the folder off to the side.

"I met with my lawyer a few weeks ago." Harry said he had wicked smile cover his face when he caught Sawyer roll her eyes at the mention of his lawyer.

"I still cannot believe that you trust Mr. Malfoy as your lawyer. Or that he passed the bar exam to qualify as a lawyer." Sawyer said spitefully. He figured there was a bit of tension remaining between the two because Draco sent her a gag gift of the naughty variety. He also sent some gorgeous crystal and gold leaf candle sticks that are probably worth a fortune, but Sawyer still harbored angry feelings towards the man.

"You invited him to your wedding, so it is pretty much your fault." Harry said rolling his eyes, and getting a bit more teasing before he left for his trip.

"You know I could not not invite him to the wedding and you know it!" She snapped. "Besides he didn't have to get me that atrocious gift."

"It was just a joke." Harry tried to placate her tantrum.

"He must have put some effort into picking that color and, and that design." Harry laughed at her prudish selection of language. It was actually a joint gift from Harry and Draco.

()()()()()()()()()(

_They had been standing outside the shop for about twenty minutes to embarrass to walk into the establishment. It was called Miss Muffy's Sensual Clothing. There were charmed mannequins wearing sensual sleepwear strutting and making seductive gestures towards Draco and Harry. _

"_Come on Malfoy, let's just go, this is a dumb idea." Harry said pulling his companion's arm. He was beet red and completely mortified when he caught the mannequin practically gesticulating at him. Another was wagging its plastic finger to Draco, beckoning him to come into the building. _

"_Potter, you are such a prude." He grinned wickedly at the boy who lived who was too innocent and afraid to walk into a store that sold women's night clothes._

_He took a step towards the building. "Come on, let's get it over with." Draco said taking Harry's arm and pulling him into the building. It was a bunch of satin, and silk draped on the walls. The air was filled with perfume. It reminded Harry of the atmosphere in the Divination classroom. "This is probably Professor Trelawney's home away from home." Draco whispered and nudged Harry in the side. _

"_Welcome to Miss Muffy's." A voice purred through the perfume. A woman in her early forties or possible fifties came sashaying towards the pair, wearing a lilac color robe. "Good afternoon sirs, what can I do for you today?"_

"_Um we are looking for some night clothes." Harry squeaked out._

"_Oh we have some lovely selections for men." She winked at Harry and Draco. They both turned red again and Draco shook his head._

"_No it isn't for us." He muttered. "It's for a gift for a bride."_

"_Ahh wonderful. Do you have any ideas on what you want?" The lady said, "We've got silk, satin or fur."_

"_Fur?" Harry asked his ears burning from being embarrassed._

"_Oh yes, fur feels so sensual caressing against-_

"_Ok I get it!" Harry snapped stopping the woman from continuing on with her description. He could imagine, but wouldn't it get a bit harry in the process. He smirked at his pun._

"_I was thinking the bride is more of a silk underwear and bar, but with a lace overlay." Draco said and the woman nodded her head. _

"_What color?" The lady asked pulling the two through the store past rows of different underwear, and mannequins dancing provocatively. _

"_I think a shade or two lighter than your robe." Draco said looking at Harry for confirmation. "Do you think she would like that, and Arnold will find that sexy?"_

"_I think red would be more like it." Harry offered his two cents, finally being able to make a suggestion without his eyes popping out. He put his fingers on a teddy. "I think this is a good one."_

"_It's perfect Harry!" Draco laughed and they made their purchase and left the building fast. Draco was practically giggling as they walked into the sunlight and down the Alley._

_()()()()()()()()(_

"I don't think it would be that hard to pick out." Harry muttered but returned his attention to the contract at hand. "But anyway, I spoke with Draco and we thought it would be a good idea to have an interim president while I am away visiting this institution."

Sawyer nodded and saw his logic being practical and smart.

"Well I discussed the idea with the most of the board and they agreed with my decision and asked who I thought would be the person to fill the position. Most thought Draco would be the man for the job, and then some of the board offered their services, but I knew I could not trust any of them with the Potter Foundation." Harry said thinking back to the meeting he had with the board of trustees when he told them about the trip, and his idea of an interim president. The Larsen dick had offered taking up the post because he would do a good job.

There were a bunch of older trustees that Harry could trust with the responsibilities of his charitable foundation, but there was only one person in his life that knew the job and loved it as much as Harry. She probably was more mature and would take the job more seriously.

It was Sawyer.

Really she was the only person for the job.

"I put my choice to the board and ninety-five percent agreed that the person was really the only option." Harry said opening the folder and placing it in her lap. It was a contract he put together himself, with a few clauses and stipulations.

One of the stipulations was that the person had to take a mandatory pay raise. Another was that she would need to take every other Friday off and spend it with her new husband. There was one more that she could never take work out of the office unless it was to deliver good news to people. That was one of Harry's favorite parts of the job, and every few weeks he would hand deliver special proposals like the one to the hospital ward that gave a little girl the security to pay for her medical bills.

The little girl's face lit up with happiness and the handshakes and hugs he received from the different family members was amazing.

"Mr. Potter, I do not know if I can accept this." Sawyer said looking at the folder. "There has to be someone more qualified for this job."

"No Sawyer, really you are the only person I can trust with the Foundation." Harry said holding the pen to her hand. "Draco agrees with me."

"Like I care what he thinks." Sawyer said taking the pen but reading the contract closer. "I have to promise to consider naming one of my children's middle names after you or Draco?"

"I can see it!" Harry smiled, "and if you read further, if you name the child after both of us, think little Harry Draco running around, and if you do we will set up a trust fund for the kid."

"You two are incorrigible." Sawyer said adjusting the pair of glasses on her head so they didn't fall off her head. "I must go to the office once a month naked?"

Harry chuckled. This top paper was a fake list of terms and Harry and Draco spent an afternoon coming up with the most ridiculous ideas that she had to abide by when she assumed the position of interim president.

"It was just a joke." Harry said and then signaled for the next page. It was just a page long stating the raise and the two others listed above. "That is the one I want you to look over really fast and sign."

"Sir, are you sure about this decision?" Sawyer asked, "I mean you could have Mr. Malfoy, or even Miss Greengrass. They are you close friends, and I think my position as assistant would be helpful."

"Mrs. Tate, how long have you been working for me?" Harry asked.

"More than a year and a half, I think." She said throwing out a time.

"Correct, how much does the Foundation mean to you?" Harry probed for some more information.

"I think the work you do is wonderful sir," Sawyer said her eyes starting to fill with some water, "And I am so thankful to be part of something so life changing."

"That is why." Harry said nudging the pen in her hand. "The Foundation is liked by Astoria and Draco, but you are thankful for changing lives. It is important to me that someone who takes this on understands the underlying reason I started the Potter Foundation."

With that Sawyer put the pen to the paper and signed the line. Then Harry took it and signed it himself just as the car pulled up to the departure part of the airport. He stepped out and took his luggage from the chauffer. "Sawyer, I want you to take the next four days off, and then attend the staff meeting. You are in charge now and the Board knows that you are, so enjoy your miniature vacation and have fun with Arnold. I will call you when I land."

"Thanks sir." Sawyer said and she followed him a few steps from the car. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her petite frame. Out of all the people in his life now, Sawyer was probably the most important to his sanity.

"Is there something else you could do for me?" Harry asked pulling away for a bit. He snapped his fingers and Kreacher appeared. "Will you allow Kreacher to come to your house every now and then and cook for you? Kreacher would you like that, while I am away?"

"I would likes that very much master." The elf smiled at Sawyer who smiled at the little elf. "Would the miss like that of Kreacher?"

"Yes of course, I would love it." She said shaking her hand in Kreacher's little fist.

"Thank you Sawyer." He said. "Kreacher take care of yourself." Harry smiled at the elf bowing and disappearing from his spot. "If you need him just call out his name." He gave her one more hug and walked in the airport.

**That's it for now. I had a bit of writer's block, but I am back on track. Next chapter will be wonderful as in cute interactions. Can you please review? I would love to hear what you think. Plus I need a name for the girl that will be Harry's interest! It would be great!**

**Ema.**


	10. Chapter 10

It was raining again when Harry woke up that morning. It was the second day in a row that he woke to the sound of rain hitting the skylight. The first time he walked into his living quarters the Institute provided for him, he thought it was uber functional and gave the rather plain room some decorating flare to the existing structure.

But when he woke up and saw the rain coming straight down he forgot there was a pane of glass protecting him from nature's hydration method and he would rush to cover his face. Then feel like an idiot three seconds later after realizing he would not be getting wet.

There was a knock at the door and Harry was hardly presentable for anyone to see. He went to the door and called through the wood.

"Yes?" He voice came out all scratchy and rough. It was obvious he had just got from bed.

"Oh I am sorry Mr. Potter, but the Director sent me to bring you to the welcoming brunch." A female voice on the other side of the door stumbled obviously embarrassed to be interrupting the guest's solitude. "I am a little bit early, would you like me to come back later for you?"

Harry glanced at the digital alarm clock aside his bed, and it read 7:43 A.M.. A little early, when do American's eat brunch he thought? He was torn to just totally dismiss the aid and return to bed or pull himself together and follow this woman about for the next few hours.

"Um could you give me a moment to ready myself? It won't take longer than about ten minutes." Harry said and before waiting for an answer ran to his closet and picked out an outfit of dark khakis and a white polo. He wondered if he should wear a jacket, but he just grabbed a navy blue pull-over that would pass for being formally presentable.

He brushed his teeth quickly, jammed his feet into a pair of shoes, pulled open his door and nearly toppled over the girl standing outside his suite. Harry stopped short but bumped into the petite girl who was pushed back from the force. But she was graceful enough to balance herself and set away from Harry Potter.

"I'm sorry." Harry hastily ran a hand through his neglected hair. It was as unruly as ever. Then he took in his aid for the morning he guessed. The girl was of average height, nothing to brag about, and had a smallish lithe frame. She resembled almost a spine of a book. Her hair was a wavy blonde, not curly circle like Astoria, or bushy like Hermione but this girl's hair just fell in wave down to her shoulders.

He figured it must be a hair style that was popular among women. Her face was clear, no marks or blemishes like freckles, moles or lightning shape scars. Harry couldn't quite make out what color her eyes were, he was not standing close enough.

After inspecting her for an awkward amount of time, he stupidly gestured his hand toward hers just as she was offering hers and their fists collided causing yet another freakish moment. "Bloody hell, I'm sorry." Harry said offering his hand again. "My name is Harry Potter."

"Yes I know." The girl smiled nicely and shook his hand. "My name is January Bristow."

Harry nodded not commenting on her name. So she motioned for him to follow her and soon the two were walking along the corridor in silence. "I thought I would show you around a bit, I am sure you will get the grand tour after the welcoming brunch, but I thought you would like to be able to find your way back to your room."

"That would be very nice." Harry said taking in his surroundings. When he arrived two days ago, it was late almost in the early morning, and it was dark in the hallways. The walls were barely lit, and now he knew why, to one side of the hallway was floor to ceiling wall of glass, and to the other it looked like black slate.

"You know it's ok if you think my name was weird." January interrupted his observations. "I was born three months premature in January and my parents decided it was a sign I needed to be named January." She was nervous and Harry watched as she fiddled with her fingers like she was playing keys of a piano as she walked down the corridor.

"I don't think your name is weird." Harry said offering a smile. He didn't handle nervous people well, it made him agitated because he didn't know why they were nervous or what to do to calm them down. It stressed him out trying to figure what could cause them to be so nervous. "I have a cousin named Dudely a godfather named Sirius and a friend named Draco; I think January is quite normal compared to those."

"Well thanks." January smiled again and they turned a corner. "Um, this is the hallway to the residence areas. This entire floor is actually rooms, for overnights, travelling lecturers and guests of that sort. Some researchers opt to live at the institute in permanent residences similar to your rooms, but a little bit more spacious."

"How many people live here now?" Harry asked getting some trivia about the Institute was interesting, plus found the sound of her voice delightful.

"Well, currently I think there are about ninety two permanent residents, but only forty of them actually work at the Institute." She said and turned another corner. "This is one of the many libraries here at the Institute, but this library is mostly filled with recreational reading rather than academic journals."

Harry was still amazed at how many researchers were actually living at the Institute.

"Why would people want to live in the place they work?" Harry thought out loud but the woman nodded and thought about his question to give him the right answer.

"A majority of the scientists and researchers who work for the Institute have ongoing experiments and tests going that require their observation and participation, so they choose to be close and the Institute allows them that opportunity." January answered simply as if she was explaining why the rain falls down or why it rains at all.

"Do you live here?" Harry asked.

"I do." She smiled. "Most of the workers at the Institute find it easier to live here then to live among normal people."

"Among muggles you mean?" Harry asked but January shook her head.

"No I mean around people with an average I.Q. There are some truly brilliant minds at work here; we have a doctor that discovered some fundamental matter that exists in magic. Another who has created a number of different spells that seem to replicate cells? They have minds so advanced; they are almost incapable of being around people who would be considered normal intelligence." January explained simply and Harry for once in his life felt truly stupid.

Well incapable of possibly understanding these academics. He did fine in school, but he never thought there was more to learn then what he achieved in his six years at Hogwarts. He picked up a lot during his "seventh" year but he never thought of continuing his education past the age of seventeen. Now here was this girl, probably not much older than him, who found it hard to be in the presence of a man with his normal brain.

"I see." Harry said somewhat dejectedly. Plus her voice was beginning to grate on his mind. They got onto the lift, and she pushed a random number.

********8

The brunch was delicious, and the academics that Harry was dreading to meet because of his average size brain were nothing like January had made them out to be. He met a man that discovered twenty or so elements on the periodic table, and had a funny tale about one he named after his but named after his dog instead. This resulted in him getting a divorce.

Another scientist was one of the minds behind translocation apparition. While another man was beneficial to the reason the Firebolt was still one of the fastest brooms on the market. Harry had a very fun time with that man.

But it was the director that remained close to Harry's arm during the brunch and now was leading Harry from the reception hall and was giving him a tour of the entire Institute.

It was about the seven floors into the building that Harry was beginning to feel like he was back in double history with Professor Binns. It also didn't help the fact that Director Seymour had a knack of making jabs at Harry for withdrawing funding which threw a wrench in this experiment and delayed the results on this test.

Harry was getting fed up with the director's accusations and tone of self importance and treating Harry as if his Foundation was an ATM for the Institute to fulfill whatever whimsical desire they had. He was feeling more and more apt to just take his clothes and find a ride to the airport and turn his back on the Institute all together.

He would watch with a smirk on his face when the stupid agency collapsed around the director. It would probably knock him down from his pedestal a few notches.

It was when they entered yet another lab of some positron experiment did he feel the cool hand on his skin. He looked down to find January smiling at him and pulling him a little different direction. "Sir, there is an important call for Mr. Potter."

"Oh, yes thank you Doctor Bristow." The director glaring at January for interrupting his diatribe about this part of positron relocation. "I think we have had enough for the day. Shall we resume tomorrow?"

"I think some of the other scientists have already claimed Mr. Potter for a good portion of the day tomorrow sir." January answered for Harry and the director nodded in response but Harry could see the tightening of his jaw.

He allowed the short doctor to pull him away from the lab and direct him through the myriad of rooms and hallways that Harry had lost himself in while listening to the director drone on about this experiment. "Please tell me we are not going to another lecture, I don't think I can handle another tour of a lab." Harry admitted in the safety of the elevator.

January shook her hand, "No, I figured you had enough science talk for the day. The Director can be quite-

"Pompous, bigoted, wizard supremacist?" Harry interrupted and felt bad immediately. He hardly ever let his tongue get away with just anyone and he watched the Institute employee before him break into laughter.

"I was going to say wordy, but yes he does have a self-important attitude." January said and pressed the button to the top of the building.

"I met quite a few wizards today with interesting research idea, but can I ask you something?" Harry asked in a deadly serious tone. January looked into his eyes. "Can you tell me what the bloody hell positron location is?"

Laughter filled the small area.

************************8

The next few days consisted of Harry visiting various labs, going over extremely important research, to the particular scientist, and he was continually getting badgered by the director for private lunches and meetings to discuss the future of the Institute.

Really these meetings were filled with making Harry feel guilty about him pulling his funding and insulting his average intelligence. Not blatantly insulting Harry to his face but insinuating towards the lack of genius pedigree.

Often he was spirited away from the incoming director by various other wizards who lamented with Harry. Another person who saved Harry continually was January Bristow. She had some innate sense when the Seymour was coming for Harry and she would whisk him to some 'meeting' but these meetings normally allowed Harry to escape or she would deposit him into some other's wizard's care or back at his room.

Currently Harry was sitting in an alcove reading his latest post from Sawyer. She was sending him letters twice a day with decisions and updates about a few meetings she had sat in attendance, not only did Sawyer assume the responsibilities of the Foundation but she stepped in as Harry's second in command, so she was sitting in all his meetings at the Wizengamot, with various officials like the Minister of Magic and the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Since Harry had been gone, Sawyer had sent twenty some letters and more than thirty phone calls above help.

He felt his phone and saw it was another badgering woman in his life, "Astoria, what can I do for you?" Harry asked his voice was full of stress and annoyance. It did not have to do with her, or Sawyer, it was just the entire brunt load of stress sitting on his shoulders. It was like he was back in London sitting through his day to day job, and sitting through the stress of making some decision that could destroy the lives.

"Hiya Harry." Astoria sang into the phone. Her tone gave him no information or cue that there was some dire emergency that required his attention.

"What do you want?" He said breathing raggedly and annoyed that she was going to put yet another amount of stress upon his shoulders.

"Well Mr. Potter, I do not like your tone." She laughed but the she started again, "I'm sorry Harry, I know I was supposed to not bother you while you are in America."

"Yes."

"I just well needed to chat at you about some things that have been developing between me and Draco." Astoria sounded distressed. "He seems really despondent recently, and I am afraid he might be cheating on me."

He sighed. Harry knew what was going on, Draco was planning some grand gesture to sweep her off her feet. Harry didn't really listen when Draco dragged him to the ring store, was he proposing or just a promise ring.

Harry wasn't much for bands of promise or rings of marriage.

"Don't worry about it Astoria." He sighed not wanting to give anything away. "It will all work itself out."

He ended the call and looked at the small cellular device in his hand tempted to throw it against the wall.

It was stress pilling up on his shoulders.

Plus he didn't understand why he had come. Taking tours and meeting scientists were not experiences other applicants received but yet he was sitting on one of the various floors going over the Foundation's business documents.

He looked up from his letter to see January Bristow coming to his secret hiding spot. He looked back at the business documents when she approached his bench.

"Well looks like you found yourself quite the hiding spot." January joked as she sat next to a pile of his papers. She nudged the pile, "Did you bring work along with you?"

Harry chuckled and pulled the pile over a bit. "Sorry, it has been arriving daily and you braniacs have been distracting me from my job." Harry said his breathing restrained and he rolled his eyes. He took another folder that demanded his signature.

"Well if you linger here to long, Director Seymour will be making the rounds, this is the most direct way to his personal lab." January said standing up. "Why don't you take a break and come with me." She held out her hand.

"With you, I don't know Doctor Bristow I might want another private meeting with your director." Harry said shrugging and pushing aside his work. He charmed it to fly back into his satchel. She smiled and offered his hand and he was taking it as a welcome distraction from his stress.

"Seymour is the director of the institute but he is not _my _director." January said winking and pulling Harry to his feet and down the hall.

**I wanted to get some to you guys and introduce some characters. I struggled with this chapter. It kind of morphed into this; I started like eight different times with all sorts of directions. But it is going. Plus January is really going to develop. I hope you guys are having a good weekend! I had quite a weekend with my job; it is what has been keeping me from updating faster.**

**There will be a chapter out later this week. Please continue to review and loving it, I hope!**

**P.S. Sorry about the mess up I put up the wrong stupid thread! For the reviewer, bunnies, thanks for catching it! You rock!**


	11. Molly Weasley, The Devil

Molly Weasley sat in the kitchen; destruction was all around, and within.

There on the floor lie in pieces, a once beloved and endearing piece of the house, and now, due to a mental lapse and the wooden mallet in her hand, the Weasley Clock no longer read,

Fred Weasley, Dead

Fred had always been the twin to get to the joke first, with an open heart ready to love and accept any person into his life. Though it seemed like she favored Percy, and dotted upon Charlie and Bill and Ginny, but it was the twins. They naturally challenged her heart to love them more and more each day. Plus they were exact replicas of her dear older brother she lost so many years before they were born.

And Fred was the same sweet disposition that her dear brother Fabian had and it nearly killed her that she lost nearly exactly the same person twice in her life.

She had been living with the grief stewing in her stomach and heart for the past month since they buried him with the others lost during the final battle. The final battle when Harry Potter finally finished him off.

Harry Potter, the boy that always seemed to crop up like a weed.

The boy that befriended her son, and she took into her heart as another lost soul that needed a mother, and because of this she lost one of her own blood.

Harry god damn Potter.

That Damn Boy

"Molly." She heard her voice being cooed to her from a far away noise. It was her dear husband and she turned could only count the breaths she reminded herself to take to sustain her oxygen in her blood. It killed her that she could breathe while her son could no longer.

"Molly dear, please put the mallet down." Arthur requested as he stepped through the rubble. She gripped the mallet as if it was her lifeline.

He gently put a hand on hers and tried to pry her fingers from the handle. "Dear, please."

The seconds no longer ticked on the clock, and the mallet fell to the floor and she wrapped herself into Arthur's arms. "It's his fault, it is all his fault." She cried and her tears soaked through his shirt.

"I know, but the Dark Lord is gone Molly." Arthur said rubbing her back.

It was then. That moment that reshaped the futures of the Weasley family and their connection to Harry Potter.

She pulled her head back and shook her head, "No, it is that Harry Potter's fault."

"What?" Arthur asked confused and not following her logic.

"If he had vanquished the dark lord the first time, if he had never weaseled his way into our life, we would not have been in the war. There would be no need for Fred to be dead. It had Harry Potter's stupid fault I have lost a son." She screamed. The words echoed through the woodwork.

"Molly you can't hardly believe it is Harry-

"I do, damn it Arthur think about it." She snapped throwing her fists in the air. "We could have kept the kids safe. Our family could have stayed clear of all those dangers, Ginny in her first year, you getting attacked at the ministry, and even the reason Percy abandoned us, and not even to mention all the times Ron has been in either trouble or danger, all boils down to Harry Potter." Molly Woolsey clicked off her fingers all the situations that had something that happened to their family and the connection of Harry Potter.

"We would have never been targeted if we hadn't had any connection to that, that boy." Molly couldn't bring herself to say his name. "Even Bill's darling face, he would not have been attacked by that werewolf, he would be normal and there was no reason for George to lose his ear. It was our connection to him that made us targets."

"Molly." Arthur said looking away; he always thought his wife was eccentric.

"Think about it Arthur." She said deadly serious. "Fred would be here right now if it wasn't for that boy."

And so the seeds of bitterness and anger was planted and cultivated into her heart.

************8

The Weasley Matriarch had always had the ability to make her family see the way she saw the world. But this reasoning took a bit to seep into the hearts of the family. Bill and George were the first to turn and listen to her logic and she was careful when to talk and what to say. She chose her words well and waited for their own minds to start thinking like hers.

Arthur had bowed out of the discussion immediately after that afternoon he found his wife and the demolished clock. He neither disagreed nor approved of his wife's idea about Harry Potter and the family connection with danger. Arthur could see that only after Ron's first year did more darkness and destruction befall his family.

In more the physical sense rather than the financial sense.

So it was George and Bill who turned first against Harry, it took a few weeks but soon Charlie understood that Harry was moot point, but he was already back in Romania working with his dragons to really take notice of his mother.

Then Molly sunk her claws into her youngest son, Ron. She would need him to pry Harry away from the family. She started planting little seeds of doubt and disapproval about Harry. His life seeming to never take off and how he had always been the lesser.

It was hard to watch her son take the criticism and then she brought up the relationship between Hermione and Harry, that they were closer than Ron and Hermione.

It sealed the deal.

Then it was a breakdown of the friendship. Hermione took Ron's side and they saw less and less of the abomination of Harry Potter.

********88

**So that is a beginning chapter of why the Weasley's stopped being friends and family with Harry Potter. I think I will give you a chapter every now and then. I really hate Molly Weasley and Ron Weasley and I think if he was given a little prodding he would hate Harry eventually. He always was quick to stop being Harry's friend or Hermione's friend for some reason in EACH book. **

**Well have a good day with this little chapter. I know it is short but I have had horrible day, lost my wallet and it was such a good wallet. Not to forget all the other parts in the wallet.**


	12. Chapter 12

Harry was sitting in the cafeteria of the Institute, the eighth day of his stay, and he was nearly ready to bust out of the building. He had nothing against the architecture, but staying so long inside was reminding him of the weeks of study and prep for the semester exams.

Plus it had been a few days since he saw Doctor Bristow. She had began to be continually absent for some reason over the days and her presence was always refreshing to Harry.

He figured it had to do with their last meeting.

_January Bristow had helped Harry off the bench he had been using as a makeshift office and pulled him down the hall, his hand still in hers. _

_One fact to know about Doctor January Bristow is that she is possibly the most intelligent witch at the Institute and personal boundaries were never an issue. Her brilliance just didn't compute that physical contact conveyed more meaning then skin on skin. She often would get excited about some scientific data and find any person near and would haul them to look at her data. _

_Currently her fingers were laced comfortably with Harry's, and they were standing in the elevator. The doors were just beginning to close when the director spotted them and he called out to hold the elevator._

_But Harry and January both feigned to hear his pleas and allowed the two metal doors to collide and the lift began to rise._

"_Pity." Harry said sarcastically._

"_Pity?" January asked looking up to catch his eyes and he winked at her curiosity._

"_We missed the dear director." Harry said chuckling and she smiled._

"_Yes he did seem to need something." January said but her tone sounded as if she could care less about the director. _

"_Really it is a shame he was not able to join us in the lift." Harry smiled at the giggle that escaped January's mouth and the lift came to a stop and Harry was surprised at what he found when the elevator doors opened._

_He had grown used to riding the elevators at the Institute and has them open to the plain gray interior that shaded every corridor in the building. There were maybe a few pieces of artwork, but mostly by the words of Director Seymour, art was meaningless to wizards of intelligence. So when the doors opened and the sun blinded him, he had to hold his hand up to adjust to the light and then stepped into a very tropical room that had so many colors, Harry was sure he had never seen before. _

_It was a glasshouse structure sitting on top of the building, magically disguised to surrounding areas, and it allowed for the scientists of the Institute to cultivate their own Garden of Eden. January pulled Harry through the door smiling at his astonished face. "Mr. Potter your mouth has fallen open." She giggled and started to pull him in to the dense walls of greenery. _

_There were trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs and vines hanging, sitting and existing everywhere in this room. He felt hot and as January pulled him through some invisible path that only could be found in her head, branches would snap and hit him in the face and he would try his best to avoid tripping over roots. _

_He nearly landed on her once. "This reminds me of a tropical Forbidden forest." Harry thought out loud and January pulled him into an empty meadow. There was a redwood bench facing the glass window and a faint bubbling could be heard as if water was running nearby. _

_January dropped his hand and perched herself on the bench and took in the peaceful spot and Harry stood a bit to take in the difference of area. He also was searching for the brook or stream source of the noise. _

"_There are some foliage we collected from the Forbidden Forest." January said. "We had a guest lecturer from your part of the world, and he brought us some interesting specimens." Harry nodded._

"_How do you maintain all of these flowers?" Harry asked mystified at the pretty dancing petals of red purples and yellows. He was impressed to find that some plants were normal muggle plants, while other had magical abilities like the daisy that were actually waving back and forth at him creating a false sense of wind._

"_Oh, each scientist has their favorite area and takes some time to tend their patch." She said tucking her knees up onto the bench and leaned her arms on them. "Do you like to garden?" Harry scoffed and put his finger out to feel a particular soft petal. "I wouldn't touch that, it looks soft but it has razor sharp hairs on-_

_But she was too late and Harry pulled his bleeding finger back in pain. She smiled sadly at him and murmured a few words and his wound healed quickly and there was no mark. "You are quite good at that healing spell." That was the first bit of magic he had seen her perform. He was almost led to think that she was just a plain muggle who happened upon the knowledge of the magical world and was accepted because of her brilliance. _

"_I know someone who drilled it into my head." She shrugged. _

"_But to answer your question, I am hopeless when it comes to plants." Harry said looking at her form, her head was resting on her arms that were resting on her knees. She looked like she was perched on her knees. _

"_I bet you are better than you think." January said not believing his negative answer. "People are naturally talented to taking care of depended objects." _

"_I once ran a car into a whooping willow." Harry said nonchalantly and January's face turned pale. He chuckled at her and shrugged. "I did fine in Herbolitry at Hogwarts but all those hours in the hot greenhouses were not extremely fun to me."_

"_What would you consider fun?" January asked quietly, this was her sanctuary to relax in and most times she would fall asleep. So she was willing herself to stay awake. _

"_I consider the sky fun." Harry said thinking about his answer._

"_Did you like your Astronomy lessons?" January asked blinking her eyes and Harry laughed. _

"_Merlin no, those classes were spent battling to stay awake." He said, "No, what I mean by the sky is flying. I played quidditch for the house team."_

"_How very exhilarating for you." She said trying to sound impressed, January had an aversion to heights and never understood why people would want to take their feet off the ground. _

_He didn't press the issue and came to sit next to her on the bench. He smiled at her. "How many different plants are there here?" He sensed her uneasiness with the broom subject and wanted to hear more about her likes and dislikes. He leaned back against the bench and casually let his arm rest on the back of it almost surrounding January's figure. _

_She looked up a bit thinking about his question not affected by his arm she even leaned back allowing her hair to brush against his arm. "Well, I don't know how many plants there are here, but there about three thousand different species growing in the glasshouse."_

_Harry let out a whistle impressed at the number. He was contemplating the size of the Institute but then remembered that it was probably magically sized to create the space as the plants grew. "That's a lot."_

_He felt her shoulder blades shrug against his arm as she settled back against the bench as well mimicking his posture by molding his body into the bench. She sighed and allowed her head to rest against his shoulder and spoke, "Not really if you consider in the muggle world alone there are over ten thousand species of plants, and who knows how many varieties they make. Then with the addition of magical plants, and you do the math multiplying it with the denomination of-_

"_I get it." Harry cried out loudly interrupting her moment of brilliance. She often would break off into mathematical equation using it to explain some significance but it really only left Harry more confused. "Don't have to act all smart." He said poking her in the side and she smiled cheekily at him. _

"_But I am smart." January laughed as Harry groaned, "Some might call me a genius." She smiled at his shaking head. _

"_So is this your sanctuary?" Harry finally asked moving the topic of conversation away from her brilliance level. He didn't need to be reminded again how much smarter the common wizard in this establishment was compared to his I.Q._

_January nodded, "It is my favorite part of the Institute."_

_Harry chuckled, "I thought it would be positron locomotion." She snorted and the two spent the next few hours in companionable bliss._

**************8

Harry was still sitting in the cafeteria sipping a weak tea and grimacing after each sip. The weak tea was putting him in a worse disposition, and then he caught sight of Director Seymour. There was no way to leave the cafeteria undetected and so he remained hoping for the possibility that the director would not see him.

Harry was not so lucky that day.

"Ah Mr. Potter!" The director called out and Harry groaned and downed his weak tea creating possibly the need to use the restroom during whatever meeting or tour the Director would want to show him on. But the Director rushed up to Harry's table.

"I am so glad I finally caught up with you." The Director Seymour said. "I had something I wished to discuss with you in private. Let's go up to my private office." He beckoned Harry to follow his lead.

Once they were settled in their respected chairs, Seymour began into a long practiced diatribe about the Institute and the possible future plans that were impending on Harry's Foundations involvement. "You see if you do not contribute we risk bankruptcy."

Harry groaned. It was the first that ever escaped and the Director glared angrily at the guest. "I am very sorry Mr. Potter if I am causing you to have indigestion."

"No sir, I am perfectly ok." Harry gritted through his teeth. "I just have lost patience with being here."

"Mr. Potter, I just don't think you understand the severity of your funding. I mean this is quite an advanced field of research that rarely can be navigated by the simplest of minds." Seymour said maliciously and Harry had enough.

"No, Seymour, I quite understand this field, and everything about this research you are doing." Harry snapped. "I understand quite well that with your first request for a grant the proposal had an outline of a money plan, and the vast amount we sent to you was to last five years."

"Yes sir, but there were some unexpected cost evaluations we did not add into the total." Seymour tried to cover with a lie.

"Show me those costs Seymour, and I will give you another large sum." Harry snapped sarcastically and waited a minute staring directly into the Director's angry eyes. "But you cannot show me these documents, because you spent your funding frivolously on new machines, and whatnot that was only beneficial for your own research."

"That is not true Mr. Potter." Seymour said,

"Did you not show me the super-conductor ultra-collider?" Harry asked in a deadly low voice. "It would only impact your line of research; no other division or department would ever use this multi-million dollar machine."

"Well yes I suppose that piece of equipment." Seymour grumbled.

"I just do not see any more assistance you will receive from the Potter Foundation." Harry said finally standing up sadly. He had been leaning towards the other direction in the past few days while mulling over the decision.

As he walked towards the door, "Why did you even come if you were just going to be a close-minded idiot." The director rounded on Harry. This was the first time he had outright called Harry an idiot without hiding it in some subliminal message.

"I came because I agreed to view the labs and re-evaluate my decision on offering you another research grant." Harry said. "You sent it to me."

"I sent no such letter. I do not beg." Seymour sniffed. "Those of weaker mind do."

"Well I received the letter just the same, and you may not beg, but I should tell you, I was almost convinced in sharing more money with the Institute but your behavior this past week has really affected the outcome of my decision." Harry said plainly, "You have belittled me in possibly every conversation we have shared; you treated me as I were a trophy that I should not meet any other scientist because you were the most important. Sir I do not agree with you. I find you farcical, a wizard supremacist and quite the bigoted arse I have met."

"Well I have-

"No sir I am not done." Harry said striding back towards the desk. "You do not deserve the title as director you self-entitling ass, a director should encourage and arrange for his colleagues to grow. But you Seymour only have one goal to achieve. I will never allow any more money to come to the Institute as long as you have the title Director."

Harry made for the door and slammed it as he left.

Hot-headed and angry, Harry made it to the lift and somehow blanked out the time it took to walk from the director's office to the elevator and wait for the doors to open to the glasshouse. He took off into the brush, stumbling over logs and low thick branches. He felt his exposed skin being cut open and sting from various venoms.

He followed the sound of the water, and after searching haphazardly he stumbled into the clearing of the small meadow that held the redwood bench.

But she wasn't there.

Harry felt safe enough in the area that he sat to rest on the bench, but he was like a bottle of soda that had been tossed about, and then opened. All the contents were exploding from the inside, and that is how his emotions were feeling for the past few years. He was finally able to express his feelings in words.

He lay trying to slow his breathing. The sky was covered with dusk so he watched the skyline darken and the warmth from the glasshouse and the equivalence of a good cry, Harry fell into a dreamless sleep.

*********8

It was a few hours later when he felt a hand on his arm gently pushing him to wake. "Mr. Potter." January called to his sleeping form.

"Leave me alone." He said happily comfortable on the lush grass. He had moved from the bench to be more comfortable on the grass.

"Mr. Potter, I really needed to talk to you." January said and Harry only opened his eyes to squint at her, he could see it was still night out because the stars sparkled behind her head. In one fluid moment he had her tucked next to him on the ground.

"Ok, talk to me." Harry said laying on his back and closed his eyes again. She laughed and rolled onto her side facing him. She took in his strong face and her eyes traced his facial features. "You were saying?" He asked feeling her penetrating stare as if she was conducting an experiment while looking at him.

"Oh yes, the Institute is quite alive with rumors." January said and as she propped herself up on her elbow it caused Harry's arm to become trapped under her body.

"Is that so." Harry yawned and feigned innocence. He was quite sure the rumors had to do with his discussion with the Director today.

"Yes, it seems that the Director and you got into quite the spat this afternoon." January said and involuntarily brushed a stray piece of hair off his forehead. It had been covering his lightning bolt scar and her finger stopped to trace up and down. Harry was so focused on her ministrations and that she was pressed to his side, he forgot about the fight with the director.

"Yes." He said breathlessly.

"So it is true?" January asked Harry stretched his arm she was laying on and it rested lightly on her waist.

"Quite." He yawned again.

She stiffened in his arms. "So you are withdrawing your funding from the Institute." Her voice sounded so final. She carefully detached herself from Harry's side and this caused Harry to wake. He studied her figure. January had stretched to hold her knees to her chest and she looked out the glass window.

He let his hand hover above her back by a half inch, and with the slightest movement his hand would be caressing her thin shirt that covered her back. "Is something the matter Miss Bristow?" Harry ask genuinely concerned for her emotions.

She looked over her shoulder at Harry. "Yes there is something the matter. Without your funding you are taking away my one home." January snapped and stood up. The quick movement made Harry stand up following her close through the jungle.

"I am sorry, but I am quite confused." Harry said trying to grab her arms, but she was walking so fast it was hard for him to keep pace. It was the clearing in front of the elevators did he hook onto her elbow.

"You were supposed to come out here and change your decision." January snapped, her eyes were wild with anger and emotion. When Harry had turned her around her hair had whipped about almost hitting him in the face.

Then he caught on. "It was you who sent me the second request." Harry said putting his arms at his side. "You are the reason I am here."

"What could you possibly mean?" She lied but Harry stepped closer into her personal bubble that she often did over the past week with him.

"I received a second request, a genuine letter asking me to take the time to view all the various labs before dismissing the institute so easily." He put his finger to her chin so he could look into her eyes. "When I got here, and I was so confused by the Director's attitude, I knew there was no way he could have sent the second request."

"What difference does it make if the Director sent it, or I did." January said glaring at him and trying to avoid his piercing green eyes.

"It made all the difference." He said leaning close and the tension that existed between their lips was almost palpable. His fingers moved from her chin to the back of head to capture her silky hair in his fingers. His other hand returned to her waist. "Your tone was so sincere, asking for a chance to prove the worth of the Institute, not just telling me."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now." January said looking down at his lip. "I just thought if I was able to show you the real side of the Institute, not the director's viewpoint."

"Was that all you had intended?" Harry asked.

She shrugged, "My work is the most important thing to me." She said quietly and Harry misread her intentions. He let her go, allowing his arms to drop to his side.

"I see." He said stepping away from her body. He walked into the elevator leaving her to stand in the clearing and he returned to his room.

*********8

**I had so much I wanted to add to this chapter, but I am going to break it down to just this. It will be an interesting next section. I will be updating super soon cause I have just been coming up with a lot of good ideas!**

**Thanks for reviewing the past few. I wanted to clarify a few things. I don't necessarily hate Molly Weasley and Ron Weasley; I just found their characters to have ulterior motives to being Harry's friend or family member. Almost like he was a trophy for their family to associate with and didn't value Harry as a person. **

**Anyway, more to come soon, I really hope you like this chapter.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I am going to go a little bit out of my comfort zone-**

**Harry POV**

**************8**

The elevators could not shut sooner, 'stupid witch' I thought wanting to let a release of frustration out on the wall of the compartment. I needed to settle my breathing or I could end up dying from hypoxia.

The elevator was taking its damn ruddy time with taking me to my floor. Then I saw I hadn't pushed the button and quickly acting I slammed my thumb into the plastic button, getting some satisfaction from the hit.

The elevator sprung into motion and I felt myself grow angrier as I furthered away from the stupid witch who caused me such distress. It had been such a peaceful evening, after telling the director off, I felt fate had been smiling upon me when January found me in her secret area.

As the adrenaline began to seep from my veins and by breathing became less ragged I was starting to feel the toll from mindlessly ambling about the stupid glasshouse of dangerous flowers. I caught my reflection in the slightly reflective door and saw there was a cut above my right eye. In fact I could feel the air-conditioned air slice the micro-abraisions I endured from my nightly romp.

"Stupid Institute." I yelled and allowed my frustrations to swing through my foot and it collided with the compartment wall. There was no dent and it felt as if my foot took the brunt of the force and when I put the foot down I felt extreme pain.

Just then the doors opened, and I somewhat hobbled down the corridor to my hallway, and then continued walking awkwardly as I braced the wall for support and used my non-hurting foot to progress towards my door.

Finally making it to my door without disturbing any neighbors, which I doubted I had because not in the last week did I see any signs of living people coming from the other doors. It was probably the guest wing. I managed to secure my keys into my shaking hand, holding the shaking fist still with my other hand I was able to slide the key into the lock and then push open the door with a little more force.

Hearing the wood connect with the wall behind it caused me to smile.

I let out an annoyed huff of air and then took a seat on the large bed that's been providing me with sleep for the past few days. I needed a pillow or something to scream into, and then I heard my phone buzzing.

It was resting on the counter in the bathroom. I had to stumble to retrieve the device and saw on the screen that Draco was calling. I pounded the answer button and asked, "What do you want?" Anger was seething into my veins as if all the emotions I had tried to leave behind with January had caught up with me and now was clouding my mind.

"Wow, who put the wand up your arse?" The drawl of Draco poured through the phone and I groaned aloud.

"Not in the mood Draco." I practically yelled getting angry at him for no apparent reason.

There was silence on his side of the phone.

"What's the matter?" I asked annoyed, "I finally tell you to do something and you actually listen to me."

"No," I heard Draco mutter, "It's just that is the first time you have ever used my first name, seriously mate, what's going on?"

"I can't find any alcohol." I snapped moving about the bathroom and kitchenette for some rubbing alcohol.

"You will do no such thing Potter." Draco said deadly quiet, and I was confused at what he meant. "Whatever has gotten you so worked up is not worth turning back into the pile of skin I had to pick up off the pavement years ago."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" I asked finding some peroxide under the kitchen cabinet. "Are you with Astoria?"

I heard a sigh. It was a defeated sigh, and I knew that I needed to stop focusing on myself. "Sorry Malfoy, I didn't mean to snap with you, it has just been one hellish week. How are you doing?"

There was a moment pause on his end of the phone. "You aren't drinking right?" Draco asked.

"Merlin no, I was just looking for some rubbing alcohol to disinfect the cuts." I explained and realized what his mini-rant was about. He had figured I was all emotional and was reverting back to drinking, like so many years ago.

"So what do you need Astoria for?" Draco asked and I explained my predicament. I had told him about the week with the Director, earning a few 'what a jackass' and 'that man needs to have a run in with a blasted-ended skewert', and then told him about the little talk I had with the Director. Draco laughed hysterically when I finished about feeling so good after belittling the man and my mindless walk through the dangerous glass house.

"So now I am covered in these stupid razor like cuts." I said feeling the multiple on my face and arms. My legs looked as if a cat had been using them as a scratching post.

"Why don't you just magically heal them?" Draco asked.

I groaned, "I never had the need to learn those charms."

"YOU ARE FREAKING HARRY POTTER!" I heard Draco yell into the phone and I had to pull the earpiece from my head. I chuckled a bit and the laughter did well to calm my angry temper. "So it's the cuts that have gotten you so worked over?"

I groaned, "No it has to do with a witch." Just the thought of January Bristow in my mind caused my grip on the phone to tighten and I needed to remind myself that I needed to release it or it would probably break.

The phone was silent for about sixteen seconds when I heard him mutter, "Figures."

**********8

The phone call with Draco had been very beneficial to Harry. It allowed him to get an outsider's perspective and he was able to explain his frustrations with the witch in question. Draco had been able to articulate the difficult spots and now Harry was wondering if he had been right to react with such fervor.

Putting his phone away and abandoning his tear about the suite he was able to lie back on the bed for a few minutes peace before he had heard the faint noise of knocking on the door. "Go away." He commanded loudly but the noise continued to bother him.

So Harry stood up and walked to the door. He swung it open and January Bristow was standing there in all her brilliant glory and then strode past Harry into his suite.

"Um, come in?" Harry suggested to the open door and January was now leaning against the windows and watching him, like she was trying to decipher an unparticular set of results that did not compute with the her experiment.

"I will thank you." January said through clenched teeth. Harry watched her in return, looking at her as a flitting snitch, and he was trying to understand her movements but like a wild snitch, it was not meant to be understood but caught.

"January-"Harry started but she held up her hand to stop him.

"No Mr. Potter, I want to start." She said walking closer to him until she was stationed right before him almost mimicking the stance they had been in earlier that evening. "I want you to know that you confuse me Mr. Potter." Harry scoffed and she held up her hand. "I'm not done."

"I'm sorry." Harry said sarcastically allowing his emotions and bitter to portray through his voice. "So you were saying, I confuse you."

"Yes sir," She said running her hands through her hair, "You do not empirically make sense. I cannot find the way to understand you and you do not understand how infuriating that is to me. You are emotionally volatile and you combust with so much energy it is hard to follow your mood swings. I mean just earlier this evening you went from tired and comfortable, to confused, to angry and overly emotional. You injected yourself into my personal space, which made me conclude that you were sexually stimulated and intrigued about something, and then you turned bitter and hurtful."

She took a step away from Harry to create some space that had been lacking. Their bodies had been unconsciously acting like magnets while she was talking and Harry was listening. They just happened to drift. "Being near you when you are so over-come with emotions causes my head to hurt. Now I don't know what happened tonight, but I was just expressing myself like you do on the multiple occasions we have spent together. If I did something wrong, you must understand that I normally deal with problems with the scientific nature. Feelings and emotions are just messy. But I didn't want whatever happened tonight to muck up any progression we as two people might have accomplished because of my lack of 'human skills'."

January Bristow could be incredibly endearing when she was not even trying to be, and Harry let out a sigh of frustration. Here he was completely ready to argue with her about his point of view and she had to come and charm him into submission. Her body had gravitated towards him and she was looking up into his eyes underneath her thick eyelashes.

It was then he realized what attracted Harry to touch her so much, her purely innate sense of seduction and innocence. He knew from the conversations they had the past week she was quite versed in the art of sarcasm, and had such a quick wit that Harry felt as if he cracked a rib from laughing so much. Plus she was genuinely interesting. She was compassionate about her studies but had never belittled Harry's mediocre intelligence and explained everything without causing him to feel stupid.

And now he wanted to take her right there into his arms and snog her senseless, but he maintained his self-control. He was not about to give himself away just because some witch was able to ensnare his senses with her womanly wiles.

He took a step back but winced as he put full pressure on his foot. His pained expression caused her to step forward and take action, "What's the matter?"

He evaded her hands, the mind-numbing instruments and he held up his hand. "Not now. I just happened to kick a wall."

"That wasn't very smart." January said cautiously. He rolled his eyes.

"I know alright, but I want to explain my overly qualified humanly emotions." Harry said moving towards the middle of the room. So his back was to the bed, which he was so intrigued to tackle her to and get lost within the sheets with the good doctor.

She settled herself on the edge of the table, propping herself up and staring at him for his observations. "You are probably the most intimidating witch I have ever met." Harry mumbled and a red tinge spread across his face when he saw January smile. "But that is not what I meant to say."

"Ok start over Mr. Potter."

"Look, I want you to understand the reason why I came to the institute." Harry said waving his hands about, "The only reason I came was because of the second proposal I received a night I was busying myself to finish up my large amount of paperwork. I have been doing the Potter Foundation for about two years, and after reading as many proposals for money as I have, you come to understand the truly genuine proposals from the others. The second proposal suggested such an interest to prove itself to me that I never really read the entire contract, but my signature is binding." Harry said and pulled out his wallet, and within the billfold he pulled out the copy of the letter. He read a few lines, "The Institute, Mr. Potter, has been a resourceful instrument in the advancement of technology and medicine and though science can be quite expensive, it is charismatically charming and when even the most miniscule of achievement is accomplished it gives sight to the true end goal." Harry read and he put the letter down. "Those words were the words that had me sign the proposal, wanting to be charismatically charmed, and see the true end goal. So I came, and met you."

At this point, he was standing in front of her again and her fingers had reached out to touch the little tears in his skin. She froze when he said met you. "And you charmed me, Doctor Bristow, the Institute charmed me and practically the entire staff delighted me. I could see your end goals in the eyes of the Institute with the exception of the Director. And then all these mixed signals were getting crossed."

"Mix signals?" January asked her hand was now wrapped around his forearm and her thumb was unconsciously rubbing the cut comfortingly. He smiled at her innocence.

"Yes, mixed signals." He said leaning forward causing her to lean back and he placed both arms on either side of the table trapping her, and he felt her fingers stop brushing and kind of dig into his skin. He leaned his head closer, inches from her face and he could feel her heart beating. "You keep doing all these insignificantly significant things that caused so much tension and frustration. A frustration I have not felt in years and when you left; it caused the tension to multiply in spades. I would only find solace when I was in your company, and then you went and disappeared for a couple days." His head was dangerously hanging above her neck, whispering seductively into her ear.

It would have only taken a half inch and his mouth would have been on her throat. "January you are quite the enigma." He said as he inched back and he smirked to her skin as her throat followed his lips blindly.

He straightened up and found his hands had made their way to her waist and he allowed his thumb to rub one back and forth and to remain on her body. "You see Doctor Bristow; it is not easy to make a decision that affects the future of an institution like this when all these emotions are clouding my judgment. Right here and now, I want to say yes because I know it will make you incredibly happy, but then it contradicts what I said to the director earlier this afternoon. I am in a hard spot because of the feelings I have for you, and the rest of the brilliant team members that could be hurt because of the pisspoor management you have at the Institute." He said.

"And I reacted badly tonight. I should not have behaved that way towards you tonight. I have had some hard years in the past, and not a lot of pleasant memories do tend to overcome my emotions." Harry said giving her a vague explanation about his situation but did not embellish on the story. It was not the place for it. "When you said that your only intentions were towards your work, and I took these mixed signals I have been receiving during the week was just a way to use me to get my money." Harry said hanging his head at his over reaction, and that his inferior mind misread any sort of signs no matter how mixed the signals had been crossed.

"Mr. Potter, I just-

"Please you can call me Harry." He said encouraging dropping the formalities. In truth he was the only Potter in his family line, but he still felt like whenever someone called him Mr. Potter he was getting a reprimand from Minerva McGonagall.

"Harry." She tried the word as if it was foreign and with a hand on his cheek she let out a sigh.

The stood still for an entire minute, the tension in the room was so thick it felt like it was pushing against the walls. He needed to get away from the brilliant witch and as much as he wanted to stay in contact with her, he slowly went to disentangle himself from her body. She watched with her pale blue eyes as he managed to separate but he took her hand.

He gave her a simple smile and kissed the inside of her palm, rubs his thumb over the spot and left the room. She remained standing while breathing hard and watched the door unable to move from her spot.

********8

**Here is the next little bit. These chapters just have SO much, but not really, that I want to space them out, so I do not get overwhelmed with the length. I will be updating super soon again, so keep with me. Please tell me you if think the interactions are "good"? enough?**

**I do not think of myself very good at depicting the "mixed signals." **

**I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Please Review.**

**EMA**


	14. Chapter 14

It was a Thursday, nothing special about the day, no anniversaries, no significant dates or anything really to celebrate.

It was also in August. One of the hottest months but of the most boring at the same time. The only good thing about August was it was normally a summer holiday month. But when you grow up, unless you are a teacher, summer holidays melt into the normal grind as the year passes by.

It was also, a boring café, during a boring brunch.

Astoria Greengrass felt brunch was the most worthless time of the day, because it was too late for normal breakfast food time like toast, cereal and eggs, and too early to have regular lunch like a good cheeseburger, or fish and chips.

No, Astoria Green was sitting in some boutique-y café sipping iced coffee and munching on a raspberry cream cheese stuffed fritter. It was almost blasphemous. Then there was Draco's attitude that was less then remarkable as of late. He had been missing from their normal routine, whatever that could be. They had resigned to the fact that they were a "dating" couple, and had been at this status of "dating" couple for the past year, and before that they were a "together" sort.

So in Astoria's book, they had been together for the past few years.

It was time for change.

And now, the prat was sitting in all his morning glory, dressed to impress, which was not normal on a Thursday. He always took Thursday's off to spend with the "women" in his life, i.e. his mother and her, and she got the blessed time of mid-morning.

But there were the flowers he brought, gorgeous yellow buttercups, and a lopsided grin. It was her favorite of all smiles. It was just a weird moment, and whenever there was a weird moment with her and Draco, something was amiss. The first date debacle of paying the bill, the first time he let slip the "L" word and covered with saying he LOVED her shoes when she was barefoot and the last time she thought he had been cheating on her, and the decided they were going to be a exclusive couple.

Well, they had the title, and he said the "L" word rather freely now in the right context so what was Draco's deal. She decided to hurry the talk along with, "What the hell are we doing here?" Astoria demanded and then flushed when he dropped his fork from the startling disruption.

He covered by gently and swiftly grabbing the fork from his plate but looked into her eyes, his own filled with bewilderment. "What the bloody hell do you mean?" He asked in a hushed tone to not disturb the other patrons and guests eating at the finery dinery.

"All of this?" Astoria said gesticulating her hands around looking like a windmill.

"All of what?" Draco asked again. She groaned and glared at him for being such a stubborn ass.

"This entire morning, first the flowersm you never get me flowers," Astoria said ticking off the discrepancies of their normal routine morning. "Plus we never make dates for Thursday mornings."

"One, I told you why Thursday would be a better time for brunch, cause mother requested my presence for lunch and possibly dinner, but I also have plans with Quimbly if I can get away from her."

Obviously Thursdays were for his women.

He said rubbing his hands together excited about the prospect of getting a new racing broom. Ever since Harry got that prototype Draco had been very jealous and wanted his very own. But no matter what type of bribe he offered Martin, the man remained tightlipped at when he would be receiving his own damn broom.

"And besides, I get you flowers all the time." Draco retorted to her accusations.

"No, you order me flowers all the time, or your secretary does. Hell Harry has gotten me more flowers then you probably have. The flowers this morning were handpicked from your mother's garden on the Malfoy Estate. I remember them." She said glaring at him suspiciously.

"So you are mad I picked you flowers?" Draco asked confused.

She groaned again and stabbed at her fritter or rasp-critter. "No, but what about this place." She said glaring at the white table clothes and seven pieces of silverware placed for brunch. "You hate coming to restaurants like this, I practically have to beg you to take me out to them."

He let out a frustrated sigh again. "So you are mad that I finally picked up on all your annoying little cues and I finally take you to this place and you are throwing a tantrum?"

She sat straight in her chair. "I am not throwing a tantrum."

"You sure act like you are." Draco said snidely and took another bite of his fruit salad in yogurt. He did not want to look up in case she was glaring daggers at him.

They remained silent for another six minutes, which was extremely weird because normally Astoria and Draco could talk for hours without getting bored of each other's company. In fact he longed to see her again just to listen to her voice, and she always got excited because she found his voice sexy and calming.

Draco finally looked up and he saw tears in her eyes. "Oh bloody hell what did I do now, did I use the wrong spoon when I would know the difference?"

"Are you breaking up with me?" Astoria asked calmly and quietly.

"Where would you get that idea?" Draco snapped, "And no by the way."

"Well then, what is with all of this?" Astoria demanded her voice getting louder and reaching above the level of the normal restaurant din. He looked distastefully at a witch sitting nearest to their table who looked over when Astoria shrieked.

"Good grief Astoria, I am not breaking up with you." He snapped annoyed at her reaction to his sweet gestures. He had been planning this ordeal for the past few weeks, first it was the right ring, and then it was the restaurant and the flowers. He had picked the restaurant for its sweet significance because he was showing her that she did not have to demand him to take her to these places. Draco would not need hints anymore.

He was just frustrated at this witch's reaction.

"Please explain yourself?" She demanded and then Draco slammed his hand on the table.

"You want a bloody explanation then fine, I got you those flowers cause you love them, and I brought you here to eat cause I thought you would love it, and I did it all because I love you damn it." He snapped. "And I had this all planned out cause I was going to ask you to marry me. But you had to go and be all infuriating."

"Fine, I will." Astoria retorted confusing Draco, but not subsiding his anger that was radiating in his chest.

"You will be infuriating, or you will marry me?" Draco bit the words through his teeth at her the sound of enamel grinding against enamel could be heard from a few tables away. He had informed the restaurant's manager about the plan before they arrived, just to forewarn the possibility of an outrageous blow-up or blow-out. The witch was obviously prone to both reactions.

"Marry you, you idiot." She replied and folded her arms across her body.

So Draco pulled out the box from his pocket and slammed it on the damn table, "Well fine then." He said shoving the box to her side of the table and within her reach. Astoria opened the little blue box, took one glance at the beautiful diamond ring and shut it with an angry snap.

"Fine." Astoria said placing the box back down.

The two sat for a moment realizing they just became engaged to each other. His eyes filled surprise and again hers filled with tears. He sighed sweetly at her, and got from his seat to kneel on the ground beside her chair. Draco took the box back into his hand and slipped her fingers into his grasp.

"Astoria, will you marry me?" He said looking endearingly up into her eyes and a small tear rolled down her cheek and a smile spread across her face.

"Yes." She said and Draco slipped the ring on to her finger and pulled her into a kiss. They were still holding each-other as they vacated the restaurant to find some burger joint when Astoria giggled.

"What?" Draco asked smiling at her, his eyes full of adoration.

"I can't wait to tell your mother how you proposed to me." Astoria giggled and tried to escape his tickling hands of torture and love.

**********8

His butt was sore from being perched on the cold hard fake wooden bench. Harry was waiting for the most recent response from the American Minister of Magic. He had been in talks and correspondence with all sorts of individuals for the past thirty-six hours all because of a brilliant idea he acquired from the advice of a good friend Twyla Goodwitch.

_The conversation started just a few steps from when he left his suite leaving the good doctor to stew in the emotional tense mess that had been surrounding them. He pulled his phone from his pocket needing a good form of distraction and just pushed a number._

_The name—TWYLA GOODWITCH---- all in caps was displayed across the screen. He chuckled to himself knowing that the name Twyla was neither popular in the magical or muggle world, so needing the last name to remember who she was, was quite ridiculous. _

_It was Sawyer's doing since she programmed his phone to function, he wondered how everyone else would show up in his phone, but since he was dialing Twyla, he would have to figure out their names another day. He wondered if Draco was under some pseudonym such as Ponce, or Jack-Ass Lawyer. _

"_Hello?" A strange voice asked, he knew it was Twyla's voice but she sounded confused. "Is this Harry Potter?" Since his cellular phone was so new, he did not have the time to send word to all his friends about the new digits but Sawyer had had their own numbers in her lists of contacts._

_He chuckled, "No this is the ghost of wardrobe malfunctions past to yell at you for your fashion faux paux." He heard her groan._

"_Oh shut up, it was your fault anyway for the mistake." Twyla snapped. It had been a black and white function, and Harry mentioned something about it just being the name of the ball, not the dress code. So she had the audacity to wear a red gown receiving dirty glares from the hostess to almost every other woman in the room, and dirty looks from all the pervy men checking at her behind area._

_Harry had received some fingernail shaped scars in the back of his hand as punishment because from the moment they exited their car she knew something was amiss. Then Harry had his own audacity to laugh at her during the entire gala, so she held tightly to his hand not wanting to let go in fear of some swarm of angry witches wanting to tear off her colorful gown._

_What Twyla didn't know is that it was Draco's idea from the beginning to deceive her about the dress code for the ball. _

"_Yes it is I." Harry admitted even though he knew she already could tell by his voice and laughter. _

"_Oh darling, when are you going to be back, England is such a dreadfully boring place without you here?" She laughed into phone. "Although Draco and Astoria have been keeping me quite occupied with their drama. I do not know how they function without a third party to sift though that mess."_

_Harry chuckled, "Yes, I know. Thanks for taking the brunt of the problem on while I am away."_

_She laughed, "Now tell me again, where are you?"_

"_I am at the Positron Institute in America." He said trying to explain its location in the North Eastern location in some state that had some mountains but she was trying to interrupt to tell him about the recent development of their mutual friends' relationship._

"_They got engaged!" Twyla yelped through the phone. "Well sorta."_

"_What do you mean by sorta?" Harry asked, how do you get sorta engaged, is it a state of relative being? Because he would love to be a sorta real. _

"_Well, when she first told me the story on how he proposed, I was quite confused." Twyla chuckled about the story. Astoria was giggling so hard she had to place a breathing charm on herself so she could allow oxygen into her blood stream. _

"_How did the bloody idiot sorta propose?" Harry asked laughing and needing this form of distraction to relieve the tension he had been dealing with for the past week. _

"_Well I guess he took her out to brunch, picked her flowers and she got all suspicious, accused him of cheating or something, and then he slammed down the ring box saying he was going to propose, and she accepted." Twyla and Harry's laughter shared the same space for a moment. _

"_What a blighter." Harry laughed. _

"_Harry you really need to get back, lunch with Astoria is not the same." Twyla said, "I mean I love her to pieces, but we are more compatible lunch partners then she and I are."_

"_I understand darling, you will always be one of the top witches in my book." Harry said and he heard her scoff into the phone at being labeled one of the top._

"_I don't know I heard you correctly Harry, did you say one of the top?" Her voice turning to ice in total jest but it was a fun charade to play along with because he could feel more of the tension escaping from his shoulders as he remained on the phone with her._

"_Oh dear me, I meant the number one witch in my heart." Harry corrected his mistake and Twyla clicked her tongue to her mouth, making a CLOCK sounds._

"_That's what I thought." Twyla's sugary voice range through, "I would say you are the number one in my books as well, but Martin is right here, and that would be dreadfully annoying to have to sort through any mess, so well you get the picture."_

_Harry laughed again. _

"_But anyways Harry, I was told by punishment of death I was not supposed to use this number unless it's an emergency." Twyla said relaying the message that Sawyer had been threatened with by Harry when it came to calling his cell phone. "So what type of emergency are you having?"_

"_Oh nothing too much." Harry said trying to downplay his stress that resonated through his voice and across the cellular technology to his emotion identifying friend of a bloodhound. _

"_You do not sound very fine." Twyla interjected with some accusing tone for lying. "What's going on Harry?"_

_That was all it took for Harry to release of the floodgates of how frustrating and the difficulty of the position he had been placed in during the past week. He had explained in detail of all the good and future benefiting research that was being created at the very moment possibly on the exact floor he was hiding on. Then he told her about the interest in Doctor Bristow and how all the little actions and reactions she had been experiencing with him had been befuddling his mind. He saved the last bit about the Director till the end, and then amused for the past few hours from telling the director off and then leaving a very confused and bewildered doctor resting on the table in his suite. _

"_A witch you want to snog thoroughly right?" Twyla interjected again in between breaths._

"_Right." Harry said not missing a beat and Twyla on her side of the conversation was beaming with excitement. He heard a squeal and realized his misstep. "WAIT NO!"_

_Her cackle was all he heard and Harry groaned. It was eventually going to happen, the moment he showed any romantic interest in any witch during the past year or so, Twyla and Astoria had been first to judge and react in any way to his pick. _

_They normally disagreed with his taste, resigning disdain for whatever witch that might catch his fancy for a few hours or days, but his attraction normally disspiatated over time, and so did their severity towards that said witch. He wondered if there would be any witch Astoria, Twyla and even Mrs. Malfoy would share their approval over._

_He typically tried to avoid the subject of women with the females in his life. They made it out to be the most awkward conversation, like how to make the first move, and common first date mistakes. He never really made it to first dates with any witch he might find attractive because the girl is practically torn apart by the three, then the witch would avoid Harry by the end of the night._

"_Ahh Mr. Potter has a crush." Twyla sang in her breathy voice. "That is so sweet. Will I like her?"_

"_Probably not." Harry said groaning at that eventual step in his relationship with January if it ever progressed from just struggling mixed signals. He didn't have very much time left to remain in the states, not like there was anything pressing to return to, but Harry was tired of lingering in limbo. He was ready for his next large project._

"_I bet I will." Twyla said, "But let's discuss the other problems at hand first."_

"_Yes please." Harry squeaked and Twyla chuckled at his pathetic noise._

"_You are in quite the mess, after telling the Director you were going to pull the funding, but you really want to make Dr. Bristow love you." Twyla said separating the two hard spots. _

"_That's about it." Harry said agreeing with her summarization of the fifteen minute explanation he relayed to her over the phone earlier._

"_I had this amazing professor back at the Academy, and he would always say to focus on the little things and the big things will sort themselves out." Twyla said trying to sound all philosophical. "I know it may not seem like there are small parts, but it's just to tackle one part and then work onto another."_

"_I see." Harry said. "Where would you begin?"_

"_Well would you continue funding the research Institute if the Director was no more?" Twyla asked simply._

"_Yes." Harry replied in the simplest of words. "Though, I would want more regulation with the money we give them, maybe something like a chief financial officer. Or something of the sort so there is no power struggle with money."_

"_Some checks and balances." Twyla said, "Yes makes sense, but let's focus on the director. How do you get rid of him?"_

_This is where Harry was stuck. He had read over the binding contract the Director had signed when assuming the responsibilities of the Institute. It was a blind clause that allowed only for the Director to step down from the office or die for the power to be removed from their finger tips. He explained that how Harry had behaved earlier day, it would be highly unlikely that the director would step down and listen to reason. _

"_Your temper Harry." Twyla sighed and Harry chuckled. "It reminds me of me!"_

"_Ok, so now that we cannot get him to step down.-_

"_Could you stage some coo, some scientific uprising and say some unhappy fate befalls the director during the battles of the wits." Twyla wondered out loud but it was all for fun. Harry sighed defeated again._

"_Is there any more pearls of wisdom from that professor of yours?" Harry said beginning to feel the defeat weigh on his shoulders._

"_Not to worry Harry." Twyla said trying to sound chipper, "No no more pearls from old tossers of professors, but I have some advice of my own."_

"_And that would be?" Harry asked._

"_Just buy the damn thing." Twyla said, and they started to expand on that idea and soon the ball began to fall and roll into place._

_***********8_

Harry was just waiting for one the last few pieces of letters. He had received correspondence from ministry officials, offering their support and ideas for how Harry should handle this burden. He also received owls from past living Directors, who expressed their dislike of Seymour and the tragedy that has befallen the Institute in his wake. Then there was the correspondence from his friends, such as Draco, Astoria and Sawyer.

The latter was the least pleasant to read.

It read

**Mr. Potter**

**You were to go to America, look at some labs, shake a few scientist hands and smile pretty at a few lunches. You were ****NOT ****supposed to go and buy some ruddy Institute, no matter how self-entitled the Director is. Some people here might refer to you as self-entitled thinking you can just open your check book to buy some god damn business.**

**I hope you know what you are doing. I held an emergency board meeting, and they have given you the go ahead to purchase this entire mess. So good luck, and please come back with no more offices or businesses in your briefcase.**

**Sawyer**

She was livid.

He had never had the luck to receive a swear word from her, and he had figured she might have mumbled something under her breath while Draco had thoroughly harassed her on each occasion, but never had she directly swore in a letter or to his face.

The letters from his other friends were simple pleasantries from Astoria gushing about the fact she was engaged to the pompous ass, and Draco had approved of the business transaction and sent along the updated versions of the contracts if the merger was going to take place.

He heard the faint hooting of a bird. It was his white hawk that he had been using as a replacement for owl. It had been a hard decision, but when he walked into the animal shop to finally buy a new owl, he could not face purchasing another owl.

There was no replacement for Hedwig.

So, he found a peregrine falcon sitting alone in its cage screeching like a bloody banshee. Mesmerized by its display of annoyance, Harry opened the cage to the horror of the animal shop worker but the falcon simply took a long flight around the building before settling on Harry's offered arm.

He bought the falcon on the spot.

So he looked to the sky and saw the faint outline for Aves. He heard his familiar screech so let out a low whistle and soon the falcon had landed on Harry's shoulder. "Thanks mate." Harry said offering up a treat which Aves turned his beak towards and nibbled before taking off and dropping the paper bundle on Harry's head.

The contracts had been agreed to with the American Minister of Magic. He left the room and was very satisfied with his work.

In the past thirty six hours, he had communicated with the various people, but he had successfully bought the Institute. It was currently the newest asset of the Potter Foundation, and now he was exhausted. He had not had proper sleep for the past two days, and barely anything to eat.

He followed his feet down the corridors, in the lift, and back to his suite. The door was shut, and he let himself in the room. But he found that he was not alone, and two eyes were looking angrily at him. There sat Doctor Bristow, perfectly poised in severely disgruntled clothes, they looked as if she had been sleeping in them.

"Miss Bristow?" Harry asked yawning; his eyes were barely staying open.

She stood up from his bed and walked towards him. "Don't you miss Bristow me." She said pointing a finger towards him. He felt as if she was scolding him.

"What do you want me to call you?" Harry asked confused and was completely taken with her messed up hair. He let out a hand to reach out and he braided his fingers into the long wavy strands. "Before you answer that, and yell at me, can you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Can we just sleep for a bit?" Harry said motioning over to the bed. "Then we can continue this in the morning." He yawned sheepishly again and pulled her to the bed happy that she remained quiet and the two settled on the large bed.

Harry fell asleep in a few short seconds and January took a few a moments to look at his face before she felt his hand reach hers and entwine their fingers together. The comforting gesture calmed her nerves and she soon found solace in slumber.

***********8

**I hope you liked it. I saw the Harry Potter movie finally and I am kind of torn at how to feel. Well whatever please review, I really do get delighted when people respond. So if you could take the time??? **

**Have a great day.**

**Ema**


	15. Chapter 15

She was standing in the room about twenty feet away. January was silently smiling at him; her blue dress was swaying in the enclosed room. The sun was setting behind her, and Harry had found her, waiting for him.

Her grin got bigger when he took the first step, and the light in her face provoked him to continue to take steps until he was standing right before her body. The magnetic pull was too hard to fight and his hand went up to her face and into her hair. She had clipped her hair back by some plastic claw like contraption. Harry pulled it from her hair and tossed it aside; then ran his fingers into her hair allowing the silky strands to weave and caress his skin.

His other hand went up to caress her cheek and she applied pressure to his palm by leaning into the gesture. Her own hands were up to their own devices. One was bunched in his shirt and the other was holding his shoulder for support to keep her standing.

They stood in this position allowing the tension between their lips to play. Harry stood standing until she smiled up at him, her own hand now caressing his own hair. "Well aren't you gonna snog me?" January quipped with a slight amusement to her voice.

"I thought you said the word snog sounded like some pollutant." Harry said bringing his lips centimeters from her smile. He heard her breath catch in her voice. His own hand went to apply pressure on her ribcage.

"Well you are polluting my mind." She whispered and pulled his head to hers to allow the kissing to commence.

It was like a struggle for power, she pulled Harry down to make the first move, but it was he who kissed her lips. He pushed her back against the window, savoring her taste and smell. She pulled his head harder while pushing her body flush to his and Harry let out a groan of ecstasy.

The snogging continued for a few minutes when Harry felt her bite his lip. He pulled his head back distracted by the reaction and she smiled sweetly at him and Harry responded by moving his attentions from her lip to her neck. He could feel the pulsation of her carotid artery speed up under him lips and he focused his attention right below her ear.

He felt her fingers dig into his back. She then yanked his head back to her lips and they continued their lip locking ministrations.

They twisted around at some point so Harry was resting against the window pane and Harry took his mouth away from her lips and looked down into her eyes. "For not knowing what snogging is, you are pretty good at it." He said smiling into her lips after placing another kiss on her mouth.

She kissed him back again. "Well if there were standards for making out, you are not so bad yourself." She grabbed his collar again and pulled him yet another kiss.

Then he felt a sharp prickle in his forehead, a feeling he hadn't felt in years. He pulled back quickly and stared down at January's face. It had morphed into the mask of his mortal enemy. A snake like resemblance and her tongue flicked like a reptile. She opened her eyes and they burned blood red and every place that Harry was touching her body started to sear his skin as if it was aflame.

He thrust her body away from his and he saw her laughing maniacally while morphing into the tall figure of Lord Voldemort. Harry was motionless as if the full body bind curse had been casted and made his arms and legs remain stationary

Harry watched as Voldemort rounded on him, his black wand poking Harry into the chest and hissed, "Mr. Potter good to see you." He hissed touching his finger to Harry's scar knowing it would cause the most discomfort. Harry let out a yell but his voice was silent. "I can't hear you." He hissed pressing the finger into the scar again till it split from the pain and blood trickled down Harry's face into his eye.

"You will never know love Potter." Voldemort hissed and then there was a flash of green light….

********8

He woke when the trickle of sweat rolled into his eyes. Harry was back in his suite at the Institute and he felt awkwardly hot. He opened his eyes and realized that the kissing and the dark lord had been all a dream.

A bittersweet dream, and when he tried to leen up he found his arm being used as a pillow for January's head. Her back was to him, but when he looked over her shoulder he found her curled next to him, still holding hand and snuggled on his bicep as if was memory foam.

He leaned back against the pillow trying to think of the nightmare. It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of Voldemort or dying since the day of the last battle, but recently the dreams were far and few between, and this was the first time he had dreamt of Voldemort in America.

He figured it had to do with all the stress he endured for the past forty-eight hours. He looked about his room. It was actually his room, because he had bought the entire building, as well the Institute and anything that had to do with it. He found that the Institute was an actually sound business; it made money on patents it owned for certain designs and theories.

Just under the improper management the Institute was indeed headed for bankruptcy. Director Seymour had been running the Institute into the black for the past few year, and he was able to rack up a considerable debt. Harry had been able to get most of the companies and banks to write off the debt dues in exchange for an extra few percent increase to their payback plan. It was evident that the Director had been burning his last few bridges with his creditors and been using the funding grants to pay the minimum balance to keep them at bay. Then taking the rest of the research money to benefit his own personal projects.

Harry was extremely annoyed by the director situation but when he returned to his room for some much needed sleep, he was shell-shocked to find January still there waiting for his return. He even had the audacity to just grab her hand and pull her to the bed beckoning her to sleep before she could start talking.

He stretched closer to her body, rolling to his side so he was flush with her back. During the night at some time, they had innocently lost a few layers of their personal clothing. She was wearing just a camisole and her thin slacks. While Harry had deposited his shirt to rest on the floor and mumbled at some time to charm his pants into pajama flannel pants.

His skin against hers felt amazing and he allowed his left arm to tuck over her waist encircling her stomach into a hug and he watched his arm slightly raise and fall as she slept. He was in extreme bliss. Harry snuggled his nose into the patch of skin on her neck allowing her hair to tickle his nose as he breathed in smelling faintly of strawberries and science-y stuff.

He placed a soft kiss onto the back of her neck and involuntarily her breath hitched. Harry smiled to himself and allowed his eyes to shut again and just before slumber kicked in.

"Harry are you alright?" January asked her voice filled with sleep but the emotion of genuine concern was evident.

"Yeah." He whispered.

"Just a bad dream?" She said not knowing that her voice was soothing him more than any hug from Astoria or Twyla could ever do for him.

"Mhmm." Harry said pulling her closer into his stomach. He heard her sigh happily and he kissed the back of her neck again.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Her voice was filled with exhaustion and Harry smiled into her neck at the battle she was losing with sleep, but she was truly worried about his wellbeing.

"No, it is way too early." Harry said, and he relented, "Go back to sleep January." And he kissed her neck one last time and they both return to the land of slumber with January giving his hand one last squeeze for comfort.

********8

The morning sifted quickly past while the two slept comfortably, happily and peacefully. At moments they would be disturbed by some noise, like rain hitting the window pane, or a vacuum outside the door by some maintenance worker, but they would return to sleeping within seconds. Harry was more than happy to stay like this for the rest of the day but there was only so long he could sleep.

He felt the eyes of January Bristow upon his face when he finally opened his eyes to stare into her blue orbs. She was still resting on his arm but looking at his face willing him to wake from his slumber.

"Good morning." Harry whispered to her and smiled when she was caught off guard. She never thought that staring at him would actually cause him to wake. "Though I don't think it's quite morning anymore." She smiled and shook her head.

"Its maybe noon." January laughed and allowed her palm to rest on his abdomen. She trailed her fingers up his ribcage and rest until Harry caught her fingers in his grasp. She smiled sweetly. "So are we allowed to talk yet?"

Harry consented by nodding his head up and down.

"First I want to know where have you been for the past few days?" January asked by demanding Harry to be forthcoming with the information.

" I was in cahoots with my lawyers and Foundation." Harry explained. He still had things to explain, and jobs to carry out before he could relay to much information. He turned on to his side so he could look down at her face. He let his hand rest lightly on her ever raising and lowering stomach. He played with the silky fabric of her camisole.

"You have to stop." January said letting out a ragged breath.

"What?" Harry asked splaying his fingers to spread flush with her stomach. She looked into his eyes and glared.

"That." January said, "I can't think straight when you do that." He started to pull his hand away but she shook her head. "I didn't say take it away." He chuckled and Harry continued lightly rubbing back and forth while she went ahead and asked her second question. "You were cavorting with your lawyer and foundation, what was it some boys' night out?"

Harry chuckled. "Wow Miss Bristow, you are making me out to see quite the sexist pig." He said bringing his head closer to her face.

"Well are you?" January asked her voice was in a whisper and he placed his lips millimeters above her face.

"If I was sexist, we would probably be in a different situation." Harry said placing a whisper of a kiss on her chin. Harry smiled when she turned her head so he was hovering above her lips.

"So what are you a pig then?" January laughed and twisted a bit while Harry tried to tickle her for her cheeky attitude. After they wrestled for a few minutes they settled back on the bed in the same position. "Is that all you are willing to tell me about where you have been?"

"Yes." Harry said, "For now, later today you will know more. I promise."

"Okay I can live with that." January said and looking up at him again, her lips were mere inches away this time.

"Is there anything else you wanted to ask?" Harry said, his voice thick with sexual desire and eyes filled with lust.

"I wanted to know about the moment we had." January said glancing away at the table recalling the moment where they almost kissed, and then all the emotions that transpired through that second of time. "At the table."

Harry who had thought this moment through, the plan he was going to implement was shot to hell. He had planned to take her out to dinner that night on a proper date. He hadn't expected her to be waiting for him in his suite when he finally returned and he definitely did not for see her sleeping with him last night, no matter how innocent their night had been together.

"Well you really mucked up that situation." Harry said leaning down.

"What?" January asked completely confused at his situation.

"I had this big grandiose gesture I was going to make, after the stupid day was through." Harry said leaning even closer to her face. "But you blew it all to hell." Harry said bringing his lips to descend upon hers like the rain fell to the window pane.

It was a sweet kiss at first, until her hand reached up into his hair and pulled him closer. He applied more pressure until the kissed turned into more of a dance. Sometimes Harry was taking the lead but after a bit January took control and pushed back.

There were no fireworks or butterflies, but the emotion of a ten thousand pound gorilla sitting on their shoulders. It was when the fingers on her waist began to shift her camisole and the feeling of her nails brushing against the skin of his back did Harry pull his head away from hers and smiled.

"I think we need to put more space between us." Harry said his breathing mixed with hers and she arch into his touch so her body was still resting against his.

"See I think you are thinking ill-logically there Harry." She whispered his name in a sexy tone and Harry fell upon her again kissing like a ravenous dog eating meat for the first time in weeks. This time his hand reached for the small of her back and brought pulled her close but only when he needed air he stopped and managed to control his desire.

"January seriously." Harry said kissing her lightly on the neck. "I would rather stop snogging until we actually had an official date."

She stopped for a moment and looked into his green eyes. "Snogging?"

"Yeah, you know like kissing and stuff?" Harry said detaching himself and sat up and January followed his lips like a moth to a flame but sat at attention like a student learning a new skill or spell. She smiled when he went red when having to explain what the word snog meant. "You know, what we were just doing?"

January put her lips on his chin and then again along the bone up to his ear. "Is." Kiss, "This." Kiss. "What." Kiss. "You." Kiss. "Mean." Kiss. "By." Kiss. "Snogging?" and she pulled her face away to smile at him cheekily.

He gently pushed her back so she was pressed into the bed and he was hovering over her face. He allowed his hand to push flush against her ribcage for what seemed like the hundredth time. Harry seductively pushed his hand up her ribcage and he felt her breath hitch in her throat. Harry then placed his lips to her neck right above her carotid artery. He felt the pulsation of her blood quicken with the two movements and he smirked into her neck.

"You are the braniac." Harry said kissing her gently on the pressure point.

"I think you meant to say, genius." January said and the two spent a few more minutes blissfully snogging while the rain fell hard over their heads.

**********8**

**So I was getting tired of waiting for the kiss. I mean, I could have held out a few more chapters but this is just how it developed. **

**Hope you enjoyed it. Expect to see more soon!**

**AND please review I LOVE reading your responses!**


	16. Chapter 16

_It was two weeks since the first night Harry and January spent together and pretty much every following night, the two either spent the night in compatible silence working in the same vicinity, or talking the night away. _

_But all good things had to come to an end._

_So Harry was standing in the airport observing a January Bristow who seemed to shuffle uncomfortably in the departure area. She awkwardly clutched her messenger bag containing all her research and some last minute documents that needed her and Harry's signature. In the past two weeks, Harry had promoted her to interim director and they had been in the search for a more permanent replacement. But at this moment he knew she battling on how to act like a normal couple. _

"_January." Harry said taking a step forward and capturing her chin in his hand. Her pale eyes looked into his piercing green ones. His other hand came to rest on her waist. "I have to go through security."_

_She sighed and Harry's hand went into her curly locks. They foreheads went to rest on each other, and Harry was able to understand what she was unable to communicate with words. "You know for such a genius, you kind of suck at this." He kissed her cheek sweetly and laughed when she pinched him in the side. He kissed her on the lips and they managed a comfortable lip lock for a few minutes. _

_Her hands found the lapels of his jacket and forced him to remain in front of January. "I don't want you to go." She managed to croak out. He kissed her forehead sadly and wrapped her into a hug. _

"_It will be fine." Harry said and they snuggled into a comfortable silence. _

_They departed with one more kiss and Harry walked off into security. _

There was a few random knocks on his office door. "Go away." Harry yelled through the wood but the person on the other side of the door had no desire to listen to his command.

"Potter." Draco hollered back through the door and pushed the slab open. "Good to see you mate."

Harry sighed and stared over his recent post he was just about to send to January. It had been three weeks since he left, and he sent a post possibly once a day. "I said go away Draco."

"I heard you the first time." Draco smiled and peered over at his friend. He fell into a chair in front of the desk and propped his feet to rest on Harry's desk. "But I didn't listen to ya."

"Obviously."

"Well aren't you a full caldron of happiness." Draco laughed. He had grown use to the love-struck Harry Potter. Ever since he retrieved the boy who lived from Heathrow Airport, all Harry managed to talk about was the ever so handsome January Bristow. Then came the overly stalking letters, and the routine phone calls.

But there was something different wrong with Harry. "So what's the matter?" Draco asked.

Harry held up a post and Draco took it wearily.

_To Mr. Harry Potter_

_Harry _

_I was hoping we could get together sometime this week to discuss an important matter. It would be the least you could do for an old friend. I will stop by your building at 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday. _

_Ronald Weasley_

"You have got to be kidding me." Draco snapped and sliding the sheet of parchment back across the sleek surface. He wanted to crumple the piece of paper, but since it wasn't his post he kindly slid it back to Harry.

"Yeah, I know." Harry said grumbling and rolling up a different parchment. This letter was written to January Bristow and was cut short because of the unfortunate letter from his old friend.

"What an ass." Draco muttered. "What does he think he can do, just come in here after four years and demand a meeting?"

"It has been five years last month." Harry said dejectedly. He looked down at his wrist watch and it read a quarter after three.

"What do you think he wants?" Draco asked. Harry shrugged again. "Do you want me to be here as your legal representative?" Harry chuckled and thought of what a scene that would be. Draco would sit there and make snappy comments at Ron being a lesser son, and Ron would grow red in the face and probably want to duel it out.

"I would rather face Voldemort again then be in that situation." Harry grinned and Draco nodded at the severity.

"Yeah, it would probably come down to wands, and I would totally kick the red head's arse." Draco chuckled and looked down at his own silver wristwatch. "Well there was actually a reason to why I graced you with my magnificent self."

Harry chuckled again and raised his eyebrow at Draco. "Yeah?"

"Yes," Draco said brushing his knuckles on shoulder as if he was polishing his already pale skin. "Astoria misses your face I guess."

"I bet she does." Harry said suggestively.

"Yes." Draco said through gritted teeth. "And well she wants to make dinner for you, and she invited Martin and Twyla over as well."

"A dinner party with the engaged couples." Harry said thinking of the offer. "Sounds like a bid of desperation for me." Harry said laughing at Draco's nodding face.

"Exactly what I said." Draco laughed and got up from his chair. "So we will see the desperate Harry Potter around seven okay?" He walked towards the door and then turned around. "You know where to find me if you need to talk about your meeting?" Draco said offering him a friendly smile and shut the door.

So Harry remained sitting in his chair for the next forty five minutes until he heard a familiar voice in the hall talking to his new receptionist and then a knock at the door. Harry stood up to face his old friend for the first time since the night of the wedding reception.

***********************************8

So, sorry it has been a crazy couple of weeks. First it started with computer problems, and then more computer problems. Which followed with a flu/cold which I don't think is fair especially since it is summer break. So anyway, after getting over a sickness, I had a little bit of writer's block. This was another deadly sickness. But I have been thinking tons about this plot and needed to add a little more drama, and I think it will be over in a few chapters.

You also need to thank Trongod. He got me off my writer's block to work on this chapter.

So I am going to leave you on a little cliff hanger, and the next chapter will be in a few days!

Please review, it really did get me to writing.


	17. Chapter 17

Draco left Harry's office and set off towards another room for some information. He had totally bypassed the office of Sawyer because he had completely sassed her the other day, and she threatened him to an inch of his life if he returned within the week.

It had only been three days since he pestered her last, so when he reached her office door he peaked his head slowly in to find her secretary smiling her pearly whites at Draco's face.

"Mr. Malfoy!" The girl gushed and she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and pushed her chests forward, but all Draco saw was floatation devices. He winced when he she called out his name. He brought a finger to his mouth but she was too loud.

"GO AWAY!" Sawyer yelled through her closed door. The secretary let out a fake laugh and Draco rolled his eyes as he walked past her desk. He knocked on the door once to be polite but he continued into the room without waiting for Sawyer to give him permission. "I said go away Draco."

"I heard you bellowing." Draco replied and smirked when she rolled his eyes.

"I didn't bellow." Sawyer said.

"I think you bellowed. Or well that's what I heard." Draco teased and Sawyer looked as if she was counting to ten to calm her nerves. He allowed her to sit with her eyes shut, and only continued when she opened them to glare.

"Mr. Malfoy, what do I have the pleasure of seeing you today?" Sawyer lied through her teeth at her happiness in seeing Draco in her office. "I thought I made myself clear about not wanting to see you." Sawyer asked firing another question. Her tone was as if talking to an idiot.

"Yes I understood." Draco said, "I know a threat when it looks me in the face." He smiled when she blanched at his word choice. "I am in the need of some contact information."

Sawyer stared at Draco for a moment, "What type of contact information?"

"Well I just wanted to update my rolodex and see if we have the correct corresponding numbers for most of the head offices for the institutes that the Potter Foundation is in charge or is financially linked too." Draco said vaguely.

"Is there a certain company you are looking for?" Sawyer asked without budging to get him any information. "A certain individual you want to talk to?"

"No, I just wanted to send some legal documents to each office." Draco said shrugging and walked over to her shelves. Ever since she became the president of the Potter Foundation, the office that Harry once used had received a dramatic facelift and it was designed in light tones and was plush to an extent that exuded power, sophistication and femininity. He brushed a finger along her shelves as if he was inspecting for dust. He looked at the silver framed pictures, one was of her and her new husband, and the other was someone that looked like a younger Sawyer.

He made a mental note to use as ammunition the next time he was going to torment Sawyer, when he wasn't afraid she might fly off the handle and punch him in the face. So he kept this little jewel of information in the back of his head.

"I don't buy it." Sawyer said tapping her laptop to life which was one fact about Sawyer that Draco respected. She was able to function with Muggle Technology while being a pure-blooded witch, and was not ignorant towards their magic less abilities.

"I was just wondering if you guys have found a permanent director for the Potter Institute yet." Draco asked changing tactics. He knew that discussing the Foundation or the Foundation's offspring would get Sawyer talking in a different direction and become more malleable to acquiesce his specific wants.

Sawyer let a labored breath escape her mouth. "Yes we did, it was a trying process and it didn't help that the other director was so vocal about his early dismissal. I wished I had been able to sit down with the damn director, but from what I heard from Mr. Potter's report, he received a thorough verbal lashing."

Draco smiled maniacally. He remembered a particularly funny phone-call he received from Potter that day. "I think one of the phrases he used to describe the Director, as a bigoted smartass that needed a reality check beyond the grave." Sawyer groaned and Draco let out a bark of laughter. "That Potter, he was always eloquent with his words. Plus I think he was stepping it up to impress his lady doctor."

"I wish she could have assumed the position of Director. She made the ease between the last director to the now miraculously easy." Sawyer explained, "Plus, she was always delightful to talk to on the phone."

"You've talked to her?" Draco asked turning around to face the Sawyer again. She nodded. "What?"

"Well yes Mr. Malfoy, I am the President of the Potter Foundation. I would need to be in constant contact with an interim Director with a new expansion of our Foundation. As our legal counsel, although I have tried over time and time again to find a loop hole in the contract I signed, and the contract you signed to get rid of you, I would think you would need to be able to understand that I need to keep in contact with Dr. Bristow."

"You have tried to get rid of me?" Draco asked. Sawyer only shrugged.

"I may have glanced over the contracts, but Mr. Potter made it perfectly clear that I could not get rid of you." Sawyer explained. "So anyway, what do you need?"

"Let's just say, I need a specific number because Mr. Potter is going to have a rough meeting today, and I think he needs someone more than a friend." Draco said seriously, and he saw her eyes shift to a compassionate nature at the mention of Harry Potter.

"Should I know what this meeting is going to entail?" Sawyer asked in her own dictorial way to know what type of approach she should take, if she needed to be the supportive President of the Potter Foundation, or the supportive friend.

"I think the best way to deal with Harry after this would be to get Doctor Bristow over the ocean as soon as possible." Draco said and Sawyer understood.

"I will take care of everything Mr. Malfoy." Sawyer said gravely. "Can I ask what is the nature of this meeting Harry will be attending?" And this was the first time Draco had ever been in the room when she had called Harry by his first name.

"A piece of his past is coming back to haunt him today." Draco said and smiled sadly at Sawyer and stood up from his desk. "You know, thanks for doing this Sawyer." She returned his smile and watched as Draco walked from the door.

She was just thinking of how decent of a gentleman Draco Malfoy could be when she pushed the intercom to connect with her secretary, when she heard the faint noise of Draco's voice saying, "That's a lovely top you are wearing Miss Funkle." She groaned and barked a command into the device wanting the number to Doctor Bristow's office at the Potter Institute.

****************************************8

The clock read five minutes after four, and Ron walked into the reception area of the Potter Foundation and quickly followed the directions to the area of the President's office. He walked into the inner office to find a secretary typing away at a computer screen.

"Hello." Ron said sauntering into the room giving the young woman a large smile. "I'm Ronald Weasley; I have a meeting with the president." Ron said puffing out his chest acting like fake importance.

The secretary looked up; she was bored with the man in front of her all ready. "Mr. Weasley?" She asked looking down at her sheet. "I'm sorry; I have no one with that name on the list to meet with the president."

"Um, are you sure?" Ron asked glaring down at the sheet. "It's spelled-

"Sir, I am pretty sure Ronald is a pretty generic name, but no you aren't on my list." The secretary said shrugging her shoulders.

"This is completely impossible." Ron said incredulously.

"Sir, would you like me to call and make sure?" She asked and Ron nodded quickly. "Hold on one moment." She reached for her handset and put it on speaker phone. Then she pressed the extension for the president's office. It took Sawyer a few rings and she answered.

"Hello?" Sawyer responded.

"Yes mam, I have Ronald Weasley out here and he claims he has a meeting with you." The secretary said smiling fakely at Ron, who returned no such grin.

"Ronald Weasley, how do I know that name?" The lady on the line repeated. "Oh, is he a tallish prat looking red head?" Sawyer asked knowing exactly who Ronald Weasley was. She had the signs dictating the difference in offices between her office and Harry Potter's office to be taken down so this sort of mix-up would happen on purpose.

The secretary blushed, "Mam, I could agree that is an accurate description." She gritted through her teeth.

"You know, some freckly fellow that is probably acting all self-important?" Sawyer continued pretending to not know she was on speaker phone and with each one of her words was bringing more color to the secretary cheeks, and Ron was getting angrier.

"EXCUSE ME." Ron seethed through his teeth.

"Syndra, am I on speaker phone?" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Yes mam."

"Get me off this instant." Sawyer yelled. She was completely faking her anger, but she was looking for a reason to get rid of her blonde bombshell of an assistant. This opportunity presented itself so well. "Would you please tell Mr. Weasley I think he is meaning to meet with Harry Potter. Please take him in that direction, and then you can show yourself to the door."

She hung up feeling a bit rude, but she figured a male assistant was the way to go.

************8

The former president's secretary directed Ron to Harry's new office. So Ron continued down a hallway and up another flight of stairs into a wide open space. There was a large man in a black suit standing in front of double doors.

"Name." The man in the sunglasses asked.

"Ronald Weasley." Ron said for the third or fourth time today, but this time he was no longer feeling too important. The man nodded pressed his hand to his ear and muttered.

"Red head, Ron Weasley?" He grunted to the response. "Yeah, Mr. Potter said you can enter." The beefy man stepped forward with his wand out. "Protocol sir." He started poking and jabbing Ron in the arm, leg and chest. After a minute of checking, the man stepped away and opened the doors.

Ron walked into the office and it reflected a large open area. He looked around for a second then walked further into the office. Harry was waiting at his desk, it was completely empty and he didn't say anything to direct Ron to sit, or even gesture a welcoming.

Ron walked to the desk and placed himself into a chair. "So, this is your office?" Ron asked looking at the open work space. Harry looked around and shrugged.

"Yeah, it's newly acquired." Harry said.

"Pretty fitting for a President of a foundation." Ron muttered.

"I had no hand in it. Nor am I the president of the Foundation anymore." Harry said strictly. "I handed it over to my assistant a month ago."

"You handed your Foundation over to an assistant?" Ron asked.

"Yes."

"Why would you do that?" Ron asked almost yelling and Harry stared at him.

"I didn't want to be the president anymore, and she is the most faithful person I know." Harry said shrugging. "So, what can I do for you?"

"What?'

"You demanded in your note to meet with me because it was the least that I could do for you." Harry said his voice toneless and he enjoyed for a quick moment how much distress it was causing Ron. "I'm sure you had a reason to meet with me."

"Well yes." Ron said looking at his hands. "Hermione is doing well."

"That's the reason you came here?" Harry asked quirking an eyebrow. "To tell me about your wife?"

"No, sorry." Ron said.

"Well then what Ron." Harry asked again. His voice was still dead and he looked at Ron as if he was vacant space.

"I guess we should get down to it." Ron said glaring slightly at Harry. "I have been trying for the past few season to get make it on a pro quidditch team." Harry looked at him to continue. "And I have been unsuccessful."

"So?" Harry asked bringing his fingers to a bridge.

"I just thought, maybe you know." Ron said shrugging his shoulders offering for Harry to continue on with his thought.

Harry remained quiet and smiled inwardly at the way Ron was squirming in his seat.

"I saw last month you were pretty close with the Quimbley International. They are big supporters to multiple national teams. I thought you could mention my name, you know help me out."

"Help you out." Harry repeated the red head's request. "Like a friend?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah of course."

"Like a friend mentions his wedding to another friend?" Harry asked and watched Ron's eyes wince and visibly pale. "Like a friend returns owls, hangs out and keeps their friends close?"

"Y-y-yes." Ron stuttered.

"So why would I refer you to any of my friends." Harry asked.

"Because, it would be the least you could do." Ron said getting a little enraged. "It's not like it would hurt you to help me out."

"It might ruin my credibility." Harry said slowly.

"How, you know how well I can play." Ron demanded and hit his desk for emphasis. "How can you not say I don't deserve a spot?"

Harry sighed backing up a bit. He didn't need Ron to go into a rage and throw his desk at him. He remembered Ron had quite a temper. "Maybe you are not pro-material."

"How can you say that?" Ron yelled and jumped out of his chair.

"You have tried out for United International, the Irish, Scotland's team, and the Chudley Cannons, each three or four times." Harry said. "The closest you made the reserve team was for Scotland's lesser team and you only made the third pool. I am sorry Ron, but may be you are just not good enough." Harry said listing off the information he received on Ronald Weasley.

"Well you should know they were all biased." Ron tried to make an excuse.

"How, I read over their remarks. They said you were either abrasive or non-committal. You didn't fly very well, and all you would only do maneuvers I created at school." Harry snapped. "They also said you assumed the position of captain on the field, while you were trying out."

"I was taking charge of the situation." Ron supplied another excuse.

"They said you didn't even come back for the third round try outs." Harry said. "Let me guess you thought they were playing coy." Ron jumped again at this accusation and slammed both fists down on Harry's desk. The sound of pounding wood echoed off the wall.

Ron's breath remained ragged and Harry stood up from his desk while shaking his head. He pulled his satchel up onto the desk and starting stuffing papers into its inside. "Ron, I don't think there is anything I can do for you."

"What the hell, you can help me Harry." Ron demanded. "You have more than enough money just lying around. They very least you could do is get me a fucking job."

Harry threw his bag over his shoulder and started to walk out to the door when Ron advanced at him. Before Ron made two steps Harry had him pinned against the wall with a wand to his neck. "You little sack of shit. Everything I have made of myself I did on my own merit. It's too damn bad you were the youngest son, and was unfortunate enough to be friends with Harry Potter. I am sorry you were never talented enough to be a professional quidditch player, and most of all you are a weak ass friend. So instead of demanding me to just hand you a life, go make it yourself like I had to after my friends and family deserted me."

Harry backed away calming his own angry breathing. "Good luck Mr. Weasley." Harry said stepping towards the door and shut it securely as he left the room.

***********8

He remained strong until he reached his brownstone and when Kreacher saw his master he muttered, "Please inform Mr. Malfoy I won't be able to make it to dinner tonight." Harry said as he stumbled up his stairs.

"It is already taken care of sir." Kreacher said bowing.

Harry's head turned fuzzy as if he was going to pass out. He managed to stumbled into his room and onto his bed. He steadied his breathing.

Breathe in. _1, 2, 3,_

Breathe out. _1, 2, 3,_

Breathe in. _1, 2, 3,_

Breathe Out. _1, 2, 3,_

He remained on his bed repeating this exercise for awhile when he heard his door creak open. "Harry." The faint voice of January called. He guessed he was dreaming, and he relished when his dream continued as he felt the mattress dip down from weight from another body. He felt a cool hand on his face, move to his neck and then a warm body press against his back.

Harry felt the faint familiarity of the arm along his waist and breath on his neck. "Harry its okay, I am here." Lips pressed into his neck and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

It was a good dream.

*************8

**Here you go! I hope it works for all of you! Please respond, I enjoy the comments and it helps me out. Hope you are all well! **


	18. Chapter 18

"But, but, you just can't do this!" Draco Malfoy's voice could be heard crying from his living room in his private residence all the way from the sidewalk. Inside the domain, the blonde headed Malfoy heir and powerful lawyer was standing in the middle of his living room while his fiancé and his mother discussed ideas and plans for the wedding.

After his abrupt outburst, Astoria looked up from her color swatches and was about to open her mouth when she saw that his complaint was not dealt towards her, but towards his mother. She glanced swiftly over to her future mother in-law.

Narcissa Malfoy was the exception to the law of aging. She was her own Benjamin Button, but instead of age regressing backwards, she seemed to maintain a classic look with a flawless face. At the moment, Mrs. Malfoy was looking over her silver rimmed glasses at her son. Her perfectly tweezed eyebrow was arched into a delicate angle, but her face meant business.

"Draco, are you whining?" His mother asked, her tone was low and dangerous. It was known to the world that Lucius Malfoy was a cold hearted bastard, which took to extreme measures of parenting, but the parent that Draco learned to behave and was more afraid to cross was his mother. She could strike fear into his heart with just one withering look. A look he practiced for years and attempted to replicate but he would only look constipated or stupid.

But at this moment he was not ready to give up his fight, "I don't want to wear a periwinkle rose in my comber bun." Draco said and let his foot raise six inches and then collided to the floor with an immense force. He crossed his arms, and Astoria nearly barked with laughter. He picked up that last little stint from the dinner she dragged him to at her parents. Her nephew pulled the same routine with her sister, and got his way, but the difference between Draco and her nephew was about four feet in height, and almost three decades.

Draco slightly glared at his mother for a moment, but maintained a passive face. He knew he was already in trouble, and an insolent face would only amount to more punishment. But Narcissa just ignored his little tantrum and coolly said, "Draco if you want to act like a child, you will go sit on the stairs."

"The stairs?" Astoria asked.

"That is where Draco would be sent for time-out when he was younger." Narcissa explained easily and glared at her son to follow her orders. "Now, GO!"

The young heir turned on his heels and stomped out of the room, "Sent to the stairs in my own home, I can't believe it."

"What?" Narcissa called but she received no response. When she knew he was no longer in earshot, "That is how I managed him as a child." She smiled at Astoria.

"I can't believe he actually thought we would use periwinkle roses in the wedding." Astoria laughed and picked up another color swatch. "Should we make him sweat it out till the time comes?"

Narcissa let out a laugh. The entire charade had been a hoax. Astoria had casually asked Narcissa how she had raised Draco, especially disciplining him, and Narcissa simply explained about Draco's childhood and when he would act out. Which lead to Astoria needing a physical explanation, and Narcissa immediately called her son into the room to explain the new color of flower only the groom would be wearing on his wedding day.

"Should we call him back in?" Astoria asked but Narcissa shook her head.

"Mr. Malfoy had the opportunity to act wisely and he chose to misbehave. Besides he is funny when he sulks on the stairs." Narcissa laughed.

**************8

Harry was pulling on his jacket at the bottom of the stairs. He heard the faint footsteps of January descending but he was becoming nervous. He had been invited to attend a dinner banquet and offhandedly that morning he invited January to attend.

He had figured she would be busy with work like she had been for the past few days. It had been a week since she arrived and the first day they spent in bed together. The second day they ventured into the world of muggle London, exploring all the sites that the city had to offer. They even took a tour of the Buckingham Palace, and rode the London Eye. The third day they spent exploring Diagon Alley, every nook and cranny. It was a fantastic adventure for Harry to fall in love with a street again.

The past few days, she spent holed up in a private office he allowed her to use and Harry leisurely went through his mail and found some invitations he received for being Harry Potter.

So here he was standing in a plain black suit without a tie and stood waiting for his girlfriend to come down the stairs.

"Are you about ready?" Harry complained but smiled when he heard her retort with some expletives that are not appropriate to put in a story. It had something to do with Harry shoving his statement somewhere….

Two seconds later he heard a faint pop. He turned to find her in a knee length black dress captivating his breath and eyes. "Now, you had to go and ruin a perfectly good opportunity for me to check you out."

"What?" January asked confused by his words.

"You know, in those muggle movies, when the girl descends down the stairs for prom or some dance and the boy watches as she comes down. Extremely blown away and admiring the girl's…. er figure." Harry said blushing.

"Figure my ass Harry." January said allowing his first name to roll off her tongue the way it sounded like she purred his name. "You were the one who ruined it, whining down here like a child."

"I do not whine." Harry whined and she only grinned. "Now come on, we have to go pick up the Malfoy's and Astoria." He said offering his arm to use. She gladly took his elbow, and they walked down the stairs to the waiting limo. Within a magic minute the car was outside the Malfoy Residence and Harry started to breath hard again. This would be the first time January would meet Astoria and Narcissa, and the first time meeting Draco outside the professional sense.

"Harry it will be fine." January laughed kissing his neck. He put a hand on her stomach and pulled her close.

"You know when you do that, it makes me want to ditch this stupid party." He said and started to kiss her neck and after a moment she pulled herself away to collect her breath. "Sorry, you just taste so good."

"Freaking vampire." January rolled her eyes while Harry chuckled and knocked on the door. It was immediately opened by a house-elf that allowed them entry and Harry silently pulled January through the house to find Draco still sitting on the stairs.

"Harry!" Draco smiled but remained sitting on the stairs.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" Harry asked looking at his friend.

"Sitting."

"I can see that, but why on the stairs?" Harry asked.

"Mother told me too." Draco said shrugging his shoulders. January looked interested in his situation. "Ah the famous Dr. Bristow, how are you tonight?"

"I am pretty great." January said.

"What did you do to get sent to the stairs?" Harry asked interrupting their conversation.

"I whined." Harry let out a bark of laughter and Draco responded, "It's not funny, you would have thrown a fit too if you found out that you had to wear periwinkle roses on your wedding day!"

This only caused Harry to laugh some more. January gave Draco a soft smile and held in her laughter. "Harry darling is that you?" Narcissa Malfoy called from the living room. She walked into the hallway wearing a silver sundress. Regal and glorious.

Harry smiled and went to embrace the Malfoy Matriarch for a second and then pulled away. "Please forgive my absence Narcissa, I've had company."

"Yes, quite lovely company from the looks of it." Narcissa replied eyeing January from her spot by Harry. Harry put an arm around Narcissa and pulled her towards January.

"Please allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Doctor January Bristow this is Narcissa Malfoy. The great prat over there is his mother." Harry explained and Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"You boys." She snapped and let her hand fall forward into January's grasp. "It is so good to meet you Doctor Bristow."

January blushed, "You really don't have to call me doctor, and it's just some title. Please call me January."

"And you may call me Narcissa." Narcissa smiled at the sweetness of the girl. She had been critical of all the females Harry bestowed his attention on in the past, but this girl seemed like the entire package. From her looks she was gorgeous, from her name it was obvious she had some brains to her, and by her modesty Narcissa could tell the girl was a real character, not some fake bimbo Harry met wanting fame.

At that moment Astoria came into the hallway from the stairs, but ignored her fiancé who was slightly glaring at her figure. "Oh Harry, I am so happy to see you." She said wrapping her thin arms around his neck. He put his arms around her frame.

"It's great to see you too Astoria, congratulations by the way." He said looking at her finger which was sporting an asteroid for an engagement ring. She blushed.

"I guess its tradition." Astoria said hiding the rock away. "But thank you, but who knows if we will ever make it to the aisle." She said nodding her head towards Draco. "How he has been acting recently, I don't know if I want to marry a five year old."

Draco let out an audible sigh and Harry barked with laughter again. "Really Draco, grow up." Draco went to retort but the glare from his mother stopped his mouth from opening. "Astoria I want you to meet January." He said twirling the engaged girl around to his girlfriend. "January this is Astoria, Astoria this is January Bristow."

Astoria walked forward and embraced the doctor. "It is so good to finally meet you." She said faintly into her ear. She pulled back, "I'm sorry, I have just been waiting so long to meet you." January smiled though her discomfort and laughed. "Harry didn't do you justice in his letters he would write. You arse, her hair isn't brown."

Harry rolled his eyes. She smacked him but laughed good naturedly. "Well shall we go?"

"Am I allowed to get up yet?" Draco asked nicely. Narcissa turned to look at her son.

"Are you going to behave yourself?" Her tone was dangerous and the three other adults in the room were smirking, chuckling or smiling uneasily at the situation. Astoria was smirking because the situation was totally her fault. Harry was chuckling because he had seen the all powerful Draco quake in the presence of his mother before, and January was new to the situation and did not know the correct way to act.

She found the entire meet and greet comical and was surprised at how Draco had been banished to the stairs and had not gotten up the entire time.

"Yes mother, I will behave myself." Draco replied with an exasperated sigh.

"What else are you going to say?" Narcissa asked her eyebrow arching again expecting her son to know the correct way to apologize.

Draco got up from the steps and walked towards Astoria, he took both of her hands into his giving each palm a silent kiss. "My darling sweetheart, for as long as I live I will live to make your life amazing and sweet. If you want periwinkle roses on our wedding day, I will go out and purchase every last periwinkle rose out there just for your happiness. Please forgive my behavior because my love for you is worth so much more than a silly rose."

Astoria smiled and a tear welled up in her eye. She kissed him soundly on the lips accepting his apology with the lip lock. "Ok shall we leave?" Astoria said again, and she, Narcissa and January went first out the door and Draco held back for a moment collecting his jacket from his house-elf.

"You've been thinking of that apology for awhile." Harry scoffed at his friend's over-display of emotions.

"Harry, oh dear naïve Harry," Draco said taking his cane, "When it comes to women, it is best to have them eating out of your hand."

"How long did you think about it?" Harry laughed.

"From the moment I sat down." Draco admitted and Harry laughed all the way out the door and down the steps.

********************8

Ok so, SORRY for being absent for so long. School started, and I had to move into my new apartment! Anyway, YAY January survived her first meet with Astoria and Narcissa, but will she hold up to their standards for the love of Mr. Potter. Plus she has to meet Twyla and that whole mess of "faux dating" has to be addressed.

Then meet and greet with Sawyer.

I thought a sweet fun little chapter would be nice.

Hope you all are having a great day and PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!


	19. Chapter 19

It only took January and Harry one night to fall back into a compliable routine at night. The routine consisted of each reading their own bits of work, proposals of extreme magnitude that needed Harry's opinion on ruling and January would be reading over research journals and how her own experiments' were running. This was a companionable silence with a few interruptions of tickle fits and amorous embrace that started with an annoying tapping toe.

But normally the reading was continued for over an hour and Harry's head would begin to droop from exhaustion. Then faint snores and slumbered breathing would begin to deter January from her own research after twenty minutes. The sounds of snores were addicting like a yawn. She would glance over at her bedmate and a smile would spread across her face. Here was the savior of the wizarding world, sitting up against his head board; neck slumped down with his head hanging onto his chest. His glasses were hanging dangerously close to the tip of his nose and his paperwork was still spread across his lap.

It was adorable.

So she would get back up to finish some nightly personal routines of stretching and brushing her teeth for a second time. Then walk over to the sleeping man and softly detaching his glasses, smoothing his hair and capturing his face in her small palm. She would then kiss his lips softly leaning into the kiss guiding him into a more comfortable position. Then she would deposit his work onto his bedside table and turn out the lights.

She would then settle into the mattress on her side of the bed and within seconds she would feel Harry gravitate towards her blending their bodies together like puzzle pieces making the entire picture finished.

That night after the party, the two returned late and went straight to bed, exhausted after a night of dancing, drinks and any other words that begin with the letter d that you can think of but I can't come up with at the moment. Well it was an hour or so after they both fell silently asleep but Harry woke to find January's pillow pressed against his side and she was nowhere in the bed or the bedroom. He saw a faint light filtering under the door from the hallway, and he heard a soft thumping coming from somewhere in the house.

Deliriously he pulled himself from his bed and quietly stumbled to the light and to find the source of the sound. He had been impressed by the way the night had gone. His friends had accepted January into their circle with smiles and friendship. He was more afraid of the women of all his companions not accepting this new girl in his life. Astoria, Twyla, Narcissa and Sawyer had stationed themselves securely into his life and he knew from other girls he showed interest in how "cold" they could be towards anyone they did not approve.

But with January they accepted from the minute they met her in the physical form.

The group arrived at the gala and they continued up the red carpet giving a few pictures, an interview or two and then into the party. Inside, they danced and drank happily then Harry was presented with a check for his foundation which he accepted with Sawyer and while Sawyer gave a little speech, he scanned the crowd for January who caught his eye and he gave her a playful wink.

He thought of the party while walking through the house and found the sound coming from the kitchen. The scene before him was hilarious but he stopped short of laughing when he watched the force that January was using on the rolling pin to hit the mound of dough. Harry looked at the other edge of the kitchen to find Kreacher watching dangerously at the late night intruder. His little eyes watched with every pound and he was muttering something under his breath.

Harry leaned against the doorway to admire the force and wonder what had put the normally calm and situational calculating doctor to act to irrationally. Whatever it was had caused Harry to see her in another light. A mad and somewhat distressed January caused her cheeks to pink and her normally maintained hair to fly in every which way.

In short, it turned him on to watch her so flustered.

Purely primal urges pushed him towards the person standing in his kitchen but when he saw her muttering and the force she was using against the dough stopped him from going in and touching her shoulder.

Merlin knows she might not stop swimming and beat him to the ground, and from the sounds that resonated from the dough, one hit from that rolling pin and he would be knocked onto his back and be seeing stars.

He listened intently but she could only distinguish a few words from her tightly pursed lips. "Harry….Ridiculous….Twyla….."

"January?" He called lightly from his doorway and a safe distance from the swinging dough. She halted for a moment and finally her eyesight left the dough and focused into his eyes. The rolling pin was hanging threateningly in the air. "January." He said lightly again seeing the amounting stress in the room began to dissipate as he distracted her from beating the hell from the mound on the granite counter. The second time he said her name the rolling pin lowered a few inches and he took a step into the room.

"No Master!" Kreacher squeaked but was too late to warn his employer. Harry felt a force hit him and knock him back a bit. He looked down at his black t-shirt to see a circular shape of flour covered spot.

********8

January stood still watching the scene play out, she hadn't meant to lose her cool so easily and the mound of dough was in her hand covered in flour and it just seemed the right thing to do at the moment.

**********8

_Earlier that night she had been nervously sitting in their bedroom looping the pearl drop earring into its place in her ear, the day had passed by super fast and she was beginning to regret saying yes to Harry's sweet request. _

_A party. A gala. A little gathering is how he described the event for tonight. There was a little difference between a party and a gala, and a party can be a little gathering, but there is no way you can describe a gala as a little gathering. _

_So she chose her outfit accordingly, a light dress but still dressy enough that would be acceptable at a black tie event. She then accessorized with the same careful picking that if it was a quieter event she could slip a few pieces and it would be a perfect combination. The butterflies did not begin until they pulled up to the Malfoy brownstone on a quiet English street of London. Harry had tucked her hand into his elbow then smartly snapped his knuckles on the plank of wood used at the front door. _

_Meeting Harry's friends was a big step. He had mentioned in intimate points in their fledging relationship that he did not have a huge set of friends, and his circle of companions was even smaller. January knew the story of Harry losing his parents in the first attack of the Dark Wizard, and from the pieces of his past he told her about she knew that he had maybe six close friends and the majority of those friends were women._

_She was worried about that. Girls could be rude, manipulative and vicious. Women were thirteen times worse than that and from how Harry talked about them they cared for Harry like a mother bear cares for her cub. It was a little intimidating meeting these powerfully important women._

_And the worst was about to happen, meeting two at the same time. Narcissa and Astoria. But the situation was entirely light and free thanks to the laughable distraction of Draco Malfoy sitting on the stairs like a sullen child in a time out. She chuckled quietly to herself at the situation that played out before her and how Harry reacted with his friend. Then the regale Mrs. Malfoy walked into the room sucking the fun from her son's face and Astoria flitted in second. The ladies of the house were all smiles and even took her into their arms hugging a little tightly but Astoria was impressed. _

_The car ride to the party was a bit quiet with Draco directing the conversation between the entire group. He asked January about her favorite Quidditch team and January blushed a bit while Harry let out a laugh. _

"_What?" Draco asked missing the private moment between the couple. _

_Harry got over his laughing fit. "Sorry Malfoy, it's just January isn't much of a quidditch fanatic." _

"_Really?!" Draco, Narcissa and Astoria exclaimed all at the same time causing January to hide her face into Harry's shoulder while he let out another bunch of laughs. _

_She murmured, "I'm sorry!"_

"_My dear girl, do not apologize!" Narcissa cried happily. "It is a blessing you are not a fanatic about quidditch."_

_She opened her face to the other companions. Astoria was smiling big and Draco looked put off. "It is not alright mother!" Draco whined. "She should have a favorite. How can you not be a fanatic?"_

_She shrugged. "I had other important things in my life then to devote my free time to then focus on some sport."_

_Astoria burst into laughter now and Draco's mouth fell open. She silently smacked his chin and grabbed January's hand to pat it lightly. "You are completely amazing January, getting Draco to be quiet takes a special sort of person."_

_Draco found his voice at that moment. "Busy doing what?!"_

_With that caveat it allowed January to discuss her doctorial work. She had actually gone to a muggle university, Harvard, to receive her education and get a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Physical Engineering. Then she returned to do her master's work at the same hallowed halls and finally achieved a doctoral status in Biochemistry Engineering. _

_January explained her area of study, the affects of magic on certain elements in existence. She also was working with some genetic engineers to manipulate certain strains with different incantations. It was a long and arduous task getting the data and information but the occupants in the car seemed quite interested in her work. They were not only impressed with her brilliance but how passionately she talked about science it inspired Narcissa and Astoria. _

_So when the car came to a halt, Draco swiftly maneuvered out the door first, and Harry followed him and January made a move to follow but she felt a cool hand grasp her wrist. "Hold on a minute my dear." Narcissa called to still the young doctor._

_It was the moment she was dreading. The confrontation of the women._

"_Don't worry; it's just smart to wait a moment so the boys can distract the press with the first round of flashes. That way you don't get blinded when exiting the car." Narcissa said offering the sage advice to handling the press and the ever annoying camera clicking fingers._

_Harry's hand reached into the car for January but before she could escape Astoria called out, "Think of something that makes you happy, because then the happiness will be portrayed through your face into the pictures."_

"_Thanks." January said feeling a bit ill and was quietly astounded by the magnitude of the flashes and voices. _

"_HARRY HARRY OVER HERE!"_

"_WHO'S THE GIRL?"_

"_DOES TWYLA KNOW YET?!"_

"_HAVE YOU BROKEN UP WITH TWYLA?"_

"_IS THIS GIRL THE REASON YOU WERE IN THE STATES?"_

_Harry held January close while the cameras flashed their picture and he whispered softly into her ear. "You look classically beautiful tonight." Then he brushed his lips softly across her temple and pulled her toward one side of the chaos. _

_Harry found the reporter he was searching for in the throng of news people. _

"_Parvati!" He called and she turned around to smile at the black haired boy. "I want to introduce you to my date here."_

"_Your date Mr. Potter?" Parvati asked keeping the tone of the interview professional. _

"_Yep, Parvati, this is my date Doctor January Bristow." Harry said squeezing her hand while making the introduction and giving January a soft smile. "January this is Parvati Patil she is an old school mate of mine."_

_Parvati Patil was one of the few peers he remained in contact with after the war and whole forgotten episode in his life. She had been away from the country doing volunteer work in a desolate part of the Africa Sahara. She had graduated and had no direction for her life. She found a flyer lying at a coffee shop as a sign from the cosmos sending her to volunteer her life for a couple years down in Africa. _

_She had separated herself from normal means of communication which caused everyone from school to sever any ties they had with her, and she found herself spending most of her time writing in a journal capturing moments and memories of the days as they passed slowly at first and continued to fly. _

_Life had been kind to Parvati when she returned from Africa with a trunk full of journals. She found her knack at writing and penned a quick manuscript of her tales from Africa. At first it was hard to find a publisher, but she stumbled upon Harry's Foundation. He met with her ditching a meeting with the Minister of Magic and read the entire manuscript in a day. Harry then made some suggestions, called a few friends and soon she was sitting pretty with a paycheck, and signing a contract saying the royalties she made off this book would be going to be donated to the organization she volunteered. _

_It was a powerful book and got her name out there in the literary world. She was approached by larger publishing houses wanting a piece of the action. Parvati was asked by producers for the rights to make a film about her time in Africa. She reluctantly turned them down at first but when they offered to do two movies. One a fictional tale of a girl in Africa, and the second the true documentary of a girl volunteering in Africa, she made this deal because it would spread to the world the situation of the desolate community she helped rebuild over the years. _

_But the moment she met with Harry, he had asked why she wanted to do this project and after a heartfelt answer Harry still seemed reluctant to help her. _

"_Parvati why did you come to me?" Harry asked mischievously watching her get flustered and annoyed at the reoccurring question. "Like why should I help you?"_

"_Because you owe me." She finally blurted out. _

"_How do I owe you?" Harry responded._

"_For that disaster of a fourth year date!" Parvati cried and Harry let out a smirk and laughed. _

"_Alright!"_

_So after the book and movie deals, Parvati was financially stable to work a simple job at the newspaper covering odd assignments and being the personal press liaison between Harry and the world. _

"_So Harry, this is your date." She smiled at January. "Finally dating someone with a mind."_

_He grimaced and January laughed at his discomfort. "Please just call me January." January said holding out her hand and the reporter shook it. They shared a few bits of information like she was born in America, met Harry during a business function, and would not confirm if they were dating. Harry winked at Parvati hinting that it was a topic yet to be discussed. _

_The couple continued into the party leaving all the chaos outside but there were some questions bothering January. Who was this Twyla witch? Was Harry in a relationship with her? _

And that was the lingering question for about seven minutes into the night until a gorgeous witch game bantering across the room and enveloping Harry in a hug. She was tall, blonde and January had been a closet fan of all her movies. Of course Harry had been in a relationship with this woman, why would he give her up?

She was then introduced which went as well as meeting Astoria and Narcissa but there was the lingering doubt because the two were so touchy feely. Not in the intimate sort of way, but it was cause for wonder. That was why January had been unable to sleep when Harry snuggled up to her back kissing the back of her neck softly and murmuring an exhausted, "Good night."

So she got up after extracting herself from Harry, silently made it to the door and slipped into the kitchen. She needed a lab so she could think through the situation. The next best thing she found was the spotless kitchen.

January rummaged through the cupboards and found pans and pots. Then she opened most of the drawers and discovered measuring cups, spatulas and oven mitts. Finally she opened a few doors and found a pantry with all sorts of baking goods, and a refrigerator that has even more food.

While she was rummaging she had disturbed Kreacher who quickly erupted into the kitchen while he watched January erect a lab in his pristine kitchen. "Is the Miss needing something to eat?" Kreacher asked quietly. He was near tears when he saw her disorganizing his cooling shelves.

"Oh Kreacher you scared me." January said not conveying any emotion through her voice. She was in a strict mindset of rational thought. Working with her hands, helped January figure out distressful situations. So she set to work on a cheesecake.

It had been her favorite dessert as a child, and as a grown woman if she at a restaurant and there was cheesecake on the menu, she would place an order. It was quite addicting. January set to work banging the crumbs and melting the butter in a sauce pan. She knew the recipe by heart committing it to memory after the first attempt.

She finally incorporated the butter and the graham cracker crumbs together, mixing them together and then placing it to fit into the bottom of the spring-form pan. Then placed that into the oven at a hot four hundred and fifty degrees. It would only be in there for a few minutes so she returned to the batter of the cheesecake and started pounding the cream cheese into submission. Kreacher was still watching in horror as she began furiously beating the cheesecake to the bottom of the mixing bowl. The routine continued for a matter of minutes until January turned back around to the oven to pull out the pan.

It was the perfect color of brown, not burnt but a darker color meaning it truly was fused together. She grabbed the rag she had been using to "clean" up her space, to use to protect her hand from the hot metal as she pulled it from the oven.

Not expecting the heat to spread through the rag to fast, January reacted like any normal being does when it touches something hot. She pulled her hand away and let go of the pan. Kreacher watched as the pan flew into the air a few inches and then tip over and smash onto the oven door. The graham cracker crust flew everywhere to the floor and January stood for a second looking defeated at the mess.

To make matters worse, instead of removing herself from the hot mess. She continued to step onto the cracker crust to clean up the oven door, smartly sweeping the remaining crumbs to the floor so her feet were burning at four hundred and fifty degrees on top and below.

It hurt.

But not as much as the confusion about Harry and her relationship, and the awkward thing he had with Twyla. Hell at points she felt Astoria and Harry were too close. But she was engaged to Draco. It was all confusing.

January abandoned the cheesecake.

She started making dough for a pie, knowing it was relatively easy and soon found that using the rolling pin to beat the mound of dough really helped to take out her frustrations from the night. Then Harry heard her and she happened to just throw the mound of dough at him.

*********8

"What the hell was that?" Harry asked trying to not laugh at the clearly distressed January. She was still pretty threatening holding the rolling pin at her side.

"It's for… um, it's for being Harry." January said placing the rolling pin onto the counter and took another handful of flour and tossed at the boy. He sneezed when the flour settled on to his face and in his hair.

"Being Harry?" He asked calmly. "So you think I should be more flour-y?"

She smirked but let out a frustrated sigh. "Harry I'm frustrated!"

"I know." Harry said and walked over to her, sidestepping the mess by the oven and put his hand on her shoulder.

"You do?" January asked her eyes filled with tears and Harry sweetly nodded and kissed her cheek. "I am going to tell you about it, and I would like you to answer my questions truthfully."

"I will always answer anything you ask me truthfully." Harry said kissing her other cheek tasting the flour on her own face.

"Did you and Twyla Goodwitch really date?" January asked.

"Once." Harry replied and told January the story and relationship between Twyla and himself. The fake relationship for the sake of her real one with Martin and how Astoria threw them together but they only felt friendship towards each other. Then January confessed her unease of all the important women in his life, feeling pretty mediocre and incredibly out of his league by the caliber of women he kept in his social circle.

"January, you must understand my relationship with all these women have always been platonic and satisfyingly so. I have no always been this happy and each has been beneficial in helping me see the light again. Beside they each have their own male counter-part and you have nothing to worry about." He said cupping her face with his palm. "You're the one I want as my counter-part."

The statement took her breath away and she leant in to capture his mouth for a brief moment.

"Does that mean we are in a relationship?" January asked and Harry chuckled.

"Well you destroyed my kitchen." Harry said. "And threw flour and a pound of dough at me."

"I'm sorry." January sighed. "I was just so confused about tonight and a little-

"Jealous?" Harry smartly interrupted but she rolled her eyes.

"Overwhelmed by everything." She said and then a tear fell down her face. He caught the tear with his finger and quickly erased the trail it caused on her delicate face.

"Please don't cry January." He said blowing softly on her cheek and kissed her lightly. "I really thought it went well tonight. If they were overbearing, or pushy just tell me."

"It has nothing to do with the party." January nearing bawled. She looked down at her raw pink feet. "I burnt my feet."

"What? How?"

"Cheesecake." Was all she was able to cry when the tears of frustration, exhaustion and pain overtook the normally calm young scientist. Harry did laugh at her distraught figure and picked up his girlfriend. He tucked her close to his chest.

"Sorry about the mess Kreacher." He called softly to the house-elf and at this statement caused January to feel even more guilt rush into her face and more sobbed wracked her body and she buried her face into Harry's neck.

Feeling sorry for her, he pulled her upstairs and started to run the bath filling it with ice cold water. He sat with her while she soaked her pink feet and they talked about Harry's past. It was painful like being encased in a four hundred and fifty degree sandwich but the two talked for hours about after the war and Harry's own personal dark times. They moved from the bathtub to the bed.

Where Harry tucked January onto her side first, moving her papers to the side table, walking to the bathroom draining the tub and tossing the towels into the hamper. He then turned out the lights, stumbled onto his side of the bed where he had a moment to lay down until he felt the form of January snuggled into his side and tucking her head under his chin.

He took a moment to feel her body fuse with his, and then her murmured, "Good night."

**********8

**Oh dear god. That took forever, and went through so many different ways. One chapter was going to be like this but January was going to meet a Weasley at the party. But no. Then another was going to have one of the women in Harry's life not really like January but NO. I liked how this started and ended and the stuff in the middle. Well that's for you all to decide if you like it.**

**The cheesecake tidbit was a bit from my life. It is true to the degree and sweeping the stupid crumbs onto my feet. It had been a long day, where everything continued to pile up onto each other. But I didn't abandon my cheesecake. I ended up with a glorious peach cheesecake. **

**It was delicious. Well I hope you liked this. I also wanted to say THANKS to all the amazing reviews. ****Global Conquest-er is probably the reason I persevered on to finish this chapter tonight. The review was so nice and I felt guilty for taking so long. One more note, I did go and change the first two chapters of this story that I wrote so many years ago so it would be more compliant with the rest of my story. There is a description of the changes and what I did to keep in-sorta canon with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter.**

**I truly hope you guys like this chapter. I am always apprehensive at putting these chapters up because some are good and some are not so good. I always feel like I rush through it, and don't take the time to really develop it. So I hope it is well.**

**AND PLEASE REVIEW. You don't know how much of a smile it brings to read your words about how you liked mine.**


	20. Chapter 20

"Mum." A faint whisper pierced the silent bedroom and then a sharp point was pushed into her side. "Mum." The voice spoke a little louder. Hermione cracked her eye to look down at her son. "Good you're alive."

This had been the fourth time in a row that Bruce had disturbed Hermione in the morning. Ever since his brilliant father decided the best way to break the news of his rabbit's death was that the bunny fell asleep and died.

Hermione sat up on her side of the bed realizing that Ron was still snoring away. She patted Bruce on the head, "Good morning sweetheart. How would you like some pancakes for breakfast?" She hurriedly rushed the boy out of the bedroom to avoid disturbing Ron so she grabbed her robe, a book and her wand then travelled downstairs to the lower portion of the house.

In twenty minutes she had successfully made breakfast, served her son and cleaned him up with a little help from magic and the two were ready to go for a stroll in the park. She was sitting on the park bench doing some work. Work her husband didn't know she was doing. It was just some editing for the newspaper.

It had helped make ends meet for the past couple of weeks since Ron had dropped his hours at the Family Store, to start training again. This would be the seventh or eighth cycle of trying out for the draft. It was a hard couple of months but a few months ago she ran into an old school friend. Parvati Patil and the two began chatting away. Parvati spoke of her travels and foundation she was creating and her current book and possibly a documentary. Her eyes were wild with excitement and then her old friend asked.

"_So what have you been up too since school?" Parvati asked and Hermione frowned for the seventh time that day. She had gone out to the Alley after dropping her son off at the Weasley Compound to spend a day with his grandfather, but she had gone to the Alley to find some work she could do to make an extra bit of cash on the side. A few hours so she could keep food on the table and rent paid at the end of the month, but not enough for Ron to take notice._

"_Um, well." Hermione stopped thinking about what to say of her post-Hogwarts accomplishments. _

"_The last I remember is you completing the Healer Fellowship in record time. There was an article right?" Parvati asked looking back down memory lane. Hermione smiled; yes there had been an article that Harry had set up. He had also thrown her a congratulations party. _

_It had also been the night that she finished that life. _

"_Yes finished the Fellowship." Hermione said remembering there was an extra two letters at the end of her already long hyphenated name. Granger-Weasley M.D. _

"_Well you must be saving lives every day, tell me has there been any favorite case?" Parvati asked and she was just starting to notice Hermione's lack of enthusiasm about talking about her life. _

"_I never actually got to practice." Hermione explained. "After I completed the course, I went on a short holiday to Australia to see my parents, and when I got back Ron proposed. Then we got married and had Bruce my son."_

It had been the look in Parvati's eyes that nearly caused Hermione to burst into tears after she finished her statement of getting married and having Bruce. The look of disappointment was too much to bear. It brought back all the times of seeing Harry's eyes at the wedding. The few times she saw him during the "engagement" and the night after her congratulation party. That time she received the look from Ron.

_It was the end of the evening and the guests were mingling in the enlarged living room to accommodate the members of the party. The majority of the room had red hair, but Harry had invited a few of Hermione's Fellowship friends and other Hogwarts attendees/professors. He changed his wand against the flute of champagne to call their attention to him. _

"_I just wanted to thank you all for coming." Harry said smiling down at the crowd. He perched himself onto an ottoman to be able to see everyone. "I also wanted to raise a toast to our Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of the age, defying yet another rule, and breaking the record of completing her Fellowship coursework a whole six months sooner than any other applicant." He raised his glass and everyone wassailed Hermione. She hurried to his side and hugged him for the toast. _

_The evening had been fun, reminiscing about their earlier years at Hogwarts and regaling about the golden time the Wizarding World had been experiencing. Ron had been quiet that evening, brooding about his lack of accomplishment of not making the draft pick but Hermione didn't allow his sour mood to ruin her night. _

_Harry smiled. "'Mione, I have another present for you." _

"_Oh Harry, the article and the party was present enough." She said blushing but Harry quieted her words by handing her an envelope. She quickly opened it and there were two round trip tickets to Australia. Tears started to fill her eyes._

"_I just thought you would like to go visit your parents for a holiday." Harry said sweetly. "I know you have been feeling a little homesick since they didn't return." It had been a moot point for the trio and pretty much the entire world. The discussion of the final battle and Voldemort. But after the danger had been over, Hermione had reversed the effects of her spells but her parents had decided to remain on the island because they loved the weather and atmosphere. _

_It was his turn to silence him with a quick platonic kiss on the lips but when she pulled back she caught Mrs. Weasley whispering something into Ron's ear both staring hard on the friendly duo. Ron showed his anger by glaring daggers at the pair and Hermione extracted herself from Harry's side and made her way over to Ron kissing him soundly on the mouth reminding Ron of her love. _

_It was later after the party when she received the first pair of disappointed eyes. Ron had been rummaging around her flat. He was still living at the Burrow in his attic bedroom but on most occasions would stay at Grimmauld place but most recently they had been spending every night together at her place. _

_But he found the tickets. "Hermione what's this?' He asked holding up the envelope that contained the flight fares. _

"_A present from Harry." She said nonchalantly. "He got me a ticket to Australia to go see my parents."_

"_Of course he would." Ron spat. Hermione was shocked at the hatred resonating in his voice but also his eyes. She walked over to her boyfriend and swiftly plucked the envelope from his fingers. Then she took his hands trying to distract him from the anger. _

"_What's the matter Ron?" She said letting go of one of his hands to rest on her hip and to press her palm to his face. _

"_I just didn't know it was required for us to get you presents." Ron snapped. _

"_It wasn't." Hermione said kissing him softly on the cheek. "I didn't want any presents."_

"_I know that, but bloody Harry Potter knows all the right things to do." Ron said spitting the name of his best mate out like they were vile. _

"_What do you mean?"_

"_The tickets, the bloody party, god damn it he saved the fucking world." Ron said gently letting her go but glaring into her eyes. _

"_It doesn't matter Ron." Hermione said trying to dissuade his anger again for the second time that night._

"_Of course it matters; I can see it in your eyes. You care for him-_

"_Well of course I care for Harry----_

"_Not in the friendly way Hermione." Ron cried. "I can tell you are started to doubt me, probably thinking you should have chosen the god damn chosen one."_

"_Ron this is ridiculous." Hermione yelled. "I think I remember that I chose you." She said not wanting to have an argument about a topic she didn't know the answers to herself. Sure she had been having second thoughts about her future with Ron. They had been stuck in a rut for the past eight months and continually having the same conversation about Ron's inadequacy was beginning to bore on Hermione's patience._

_So she stepped closer to close the gap between their mouths and kissed him. Using his avoiding tactic against him and brought his attention to another part. The kissing led from the living room to her bedroom. _

And it wasn't until five weeks later, while sitting at her parent's house in Australia did she come to the realization that they hadn't used protection that night. She had made the decision against inviting Ron or Harry on the trip. She just refunded the ticket and sent the money to Harry.

Now she was sitting looking down at the stupid test and its damn positive result confirming her suspicions. It took her three minutes to react and it was a whirlwind of emotions. Realizing that her long thoughts and talks with her mother for the past two weeks had been a complete waste of time.

Ending her relationship with Ron would never happen now that she was pregnant with his child. Her sobs were heard from outside in the garden and her mother rushed into the house.

"_Hermione?" Her mother called sweeping her daughter into her arms. "You did it over the phone?" The cordless had been sitting next to her daughter but Hermione shook her head. _

"_No." It was the finality of her voice that caused her mother to go rigid. _

"_What's the matter love?" Hermione's mother asked pulling back from the embrace and catching a look at the pregnancy test._

It was the second time Hermione received those disappointed eyes that made her want to jump into the ocean and allow the blue water to swallow her up. So after a week of deliberation and the cold feeling every time her mother would gaze at her, Hermione decided she had to return to England to face the music.

It had delighted Ron. He proposed two days later with a small ring but she accepted because it was the right thing to do. He promised her a world of happiness and security. Kissing her soundly.

"Hermione have you told Harry about the baby?" Ron asked.

"No." Hermione replied looking at the silver band on her finger feeling alienation towards her left ring finger. She figured it was just a piece of jewelry she would have to get used too, like a new watch or necklace.

"I don't want you too." Ron whispered.

"What?" Hermione asked her head whipping to her fiancé.

"In fact don't go near him." Ron said pulling her into his lap. "Everything is perfect now. He will just ruin it. I don't want him to pull you from me." He said rubbing her belly. "You, me and the baby, we will be so happy." He kissed her cheek. "Please promise me."

"Ron. I can't stop being his friend." Hermione said shocked at his plea. His grip tightened slightly.

"I knew it." He said pushing her to the side. "You love him don't you?" He said standing up and pointing a finger at Hermione. "You will always put him over me."

"I never-

"Hermione, can't you see what he does to us." Ron said his voice quieting down to a whisper. She saw Ron's true form that day, a defeated individual that was always second best. "You owe me so sort of loyalty."

Hermione broke when he gave her the look. "You are right Ron." She said rushing to his arms. "I will stop, don't worry I promise."

So life went on. The wedding, the gate crashing of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter was swept under the carpet but Hermione stayed true to her word and avoided his owls, posts and any attempt he made to contact her.

Then one day it all stopped.

Like he disappeared and it remained that way, but she got so busy with planning for the baby and setting up a house with Ron. It was a wonderful five months, being newlyweds and then the birth of their son Bruce.

He was every bit Hermione except for his red hair. The only trait she received from the Weasley side, and silently Hermione thanked Merlin for the genetic combination. But it was three months after Bruce's birth is when Ron changed.

It was his second attempt at the draft and he did not receive a spot. She had been working a few hours at Saint Mungos and she was looking forward to returning full time but she came home one day to a screaming infant and her husband sitting in the kitchen reading the paper.

"_Ron what the bloody hell." Hermione admonished her husband's lack of parenting. She picked up her son and soothed his screams. "How long has he been screaming like that?"_

"_Awhile." Ron said shrugging. "I'm sorry but I don't have breasts to feed him like he wants."_

"_I left you a few bottles in the cooling cupboard." She said rushing to warm and relieve her child's hunger pain. _

"_And you know how I feel about that." Ron said. "I don't think you should be selfish and neglecting our son so you can go back to work."_

"_Being selfish and neglecting." Hermione asked and watched as the babe quickly sucked the bottle down. She brought him to a vertical position and bounced him softly waiting for the small explosion of gas to pass his lips. "We talked about this. My maternity leave was only for three months. And the hospital has been patient and gave me four-_

"_I think you should quit." Ron said with a tone of finality. _

"_But I need to work." Hermione retaliated._

"_No you don't." Ron said. "I talked to George to up my hours at the store in town and I will be managing it. There is no need for you to work if I can support us."_

"_But it's what I want-_

"_You want to neglect our son's upbringing, so you can be selfish and prove something?" Ron countered glaring at his wife. He knew using their son against her was the way to get his way. It worked before._

_Hermione stood slowly swaying with her sleeping son and avoiding her husband's bland expression._

She quit the next day.

Then out of nowhere the articles of Harry Potter came to light. Pictures of his face and his foundation, going out with models, dating some actress named Twyla Goodwitch. It was daily reminders of the moot point of the Savior, and their former friend shoved in their faces. The constant publicity of Harry turned Ron into an even more spiteful person. Every winking face niggling his anger and the pictures of Draco and Harry together nearly caused Ron to blow apart the house.

A house they lost because they were not making the payments regularly because Ron cut his hours down at the store to start training again for the Quidditch draft.

So it was after a few years of the routine that Hermione decided she needed to do something for her family. Her and Bruce.

Which brought her to the Alley, and bumping into Parvati?

Hermione confessed her desire for some work she could do to Parvati. Parvati then enquired of her skills of proof-reading and editing. That was how Hermione became a silent editor at the newspaper that printed Parvati's column.

It was perfect because Parvati and Ron were no longer in touch, and she could use the income to keep their debt down while Ron was busy trying out for every team. Plus it gave her more use to her life. Bruce was becoming more independent each day and so she needed something to occupy her time.

*****************8

**Back in the park**

Hermione was finishing up the latest article when she saw Bruce walking towards her with Parvati. It was their secret meeting place where they could exchange the work load and paycheck.

"Hermione, good morning." Parvati called while holding the small hand of the young boy. "Bruce has quite the quick wit for a four year old."

"Miss Patil you know I'm five!" He laughed and let go of her hand ran over to his mother planted a quick kiss on her cheek then ran back to the play ground.

They exchanged a few pleasantries and Parvati placed herself on the bench beside Hermione. "Here are some new articles for you to edit." She said placing the folder on the bench. Hermione quickly picked up that manila folder.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked after perusing the few columns. They were all about Harry Potter.

Parvati blanched. "I'm sorry Mione. Those weren't meant for you." She said quickly pulling a different folder and handing it towards the quick witch.

"You've been keeping some articles from me?" Hermione asked a hurt tone flooding her voice.

"I was just protecting you." Parvati said. She was the one individual that knew about the situation with Harry, Ron and the Weasley family. "I thought I was making it easier for you."

The good intentions were there but Hermione could not stop from feeling hurt.

She didn't hand back the manila folder and read a quick few lines. "He's in America?" The he referring to Harry, but she couldn't bring herself to say his name. Parvati paled.

"That's an old column." Parvati sighed. "He was in America. I saw him just a few nights ago. At a gala the paper wanted me to cover."

Hermione nodded seeing a few pictures from the event.

"He seemed happy Hermione." Parvati said quietly answering the question Hermione wanted to ask. They both focused on Bruce playing on the playground, laughing, giggling and participating in the fun with the other children. "Bruce is a truly beautiful boy."

"I know." Hermione said wiping a tear from her face.

She looked up at Parvati.

Again with the disappointed eyes. The ultimate punishment, each tearing a little at her soul but none had the effect like Harry's the last time she saw him on her wedding day. The day she truly felt like she failed.

But the sound of laughter brought her back to reality.

"Well, I will get these don't right quick." Hermione said stilling her face and calling to Bruce. She thanked Parvati again and made her way out of the park.

*****************8

I thought you would enjoy a little chapter! I hope this isn't too confusing. I quickly wrote it down between classes and wanted to get it to you super quick. Well off to Political Science class!

HAVE A GREAT DAY and please review!


	21. Chapter 21

Thursday Morning

Sawyer had a new receptionist, his name was Tag. He was tall, brown hair, blue eyes shapely build and had a few freckles splattered across his face. He was twenty two years old, with a diploma from Hogwarts with 10 NEWTS to his name plus. He was smart, punctual and had been quite the asset to the Foundation.

The best thing about Tag is he enjoyed a good prank, and followed orders to the mark.

"YOU DID WHAT!" Tag could hear his boss scream into her phone and he grimaced at the tone. She was either talking to Mr. Potter or Mr. Malfoy. They were the only two individuals that could accomplish in setting his boss to that decibel. "YOU MORONIC IDIOTS!"

Sounds like it was the pair not just one individual.

He heard the sharp sound of the plastic receiver slam into the base unit. "TAG!" He hurried into the office hoping his quick steps would calm her to speak in a lower tone.

"Yes mam." Tag answered opening her door with his legal pad and a smile to grace his boss.

"Harry Potter and his idiot lawyer are going to be coming in to the office in a few moments." She seethed. "The two dunderheads seemed to get into a scuffle with some random people at a restaurant on the Alley."

Tag nodded not understanding why he needed to hear this information. Sawyer continued, "I want to put together a few options of an apology letter to the place and maybe a we are sorry donation or something. It seems that the idiots blew up a crystal fountain."

"Are you talking about Grenaldise on Septurn Alley?" Tag asked putting his notepad to rest in his lap. He had wanted to go eat at that restaurant but it was super exclusive and very expensive. The neighborhood of Septurn was a new posh area that was being developed by some wealthy yuppie wizards. Everything was modern, organic and clean. The crystal fountain had been rumored a statue created by the renowned wizard artist Jacque Tisste von Plata.

"Possibly." Sawyer said she did not know the details she only heard, scuffle, broken statue, Malfoy.

"I don't know if money will be able to replace that one of a kind statue." Tag said silently and Sawyer turned an ugly color. "But we can always try to smooth over the patch, maybe giving the place an exclusive right for all and rest Potter Foundation events we plan."

"Good idea Tag." Sawyer said smiling at her smart assistant. "There is something else I need you to do."

"Sure."

"Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter will be coming in to explain to me what happened, and while the two are here, I want you to leer at Mr. Malfoy." She said smiling maniacally.

"Leer at Mr. Malfoy?" Tag asked looking up from his notes. "As in check him out?"

"Um, well, I mean-"Sawyer gulped at what she just asked her assistant to do, and she felt like she was pimping out her co-worker. "Yes in a way, I think it might be a fun way to disturb Mr. Malfoy and get back at all the times he has pushed my buttons. But if you would feel like it stepping way over your comfort barrier, I'm sorry for even asking."

"He does have a cute arse." Tag said looking off into a brief idea of his past. Sawyer groaned but he just winked at his boss.

Within a few minutes there was the sound of faint voices of Harry and Draco filling the building. The two were yelling at each other for something.

"Well you have big feet!"

"Well you are ugly!"

"At least I can fly better then you."

"There is no way you can fly better than me!"

"January can fly better then you!"

"Yeah well Astoria can fly better then January!"

"Are you saying Astoria is a better flyer then you?"

"Shut up Harry."

The two stepped into the office, Harry ready to laugh in Draco's face but they were interrupted by Tag. "Hello gentlemen, Mrs. Tate has been waiting for you." He opened the door to allow Harry to file in and when Draco passed Tag gave him a dramatic wink which caused Draco to falter for a moment and give Tag an odd look.

"I've been looking forward to seeing you Mr. Malfoy." Tag whispered and Draco paled a bit, but continued into the room after Harry. Tag followed suit but took a spot on the other side of the desk next to Sawyer pulling out a yellow legal pad and setting it onto the desk. He set up his little writing area and waited for everyone in the room to get settled.

Harry smiled at Tag and Sawyer, he was sporting a black eye and a cut on his lip while his counter-part was a little worse for wear but he had an outline of a bruise on his cheekbone. Harry watched Tag seemed to be smiling only at Malfoy but Sawyer was glaring both of them. He wondered if he should speak first or wait until she was ready to open her mouth.

"Sawyer- but she held up a hand to stop him and Harry shut his mouth.

"I don't want either of you to speak until I am ready to talk to you." Sawyer said and then there was a slight tapping on the glass. It was an owl and Tag went to retrieve the letter. It was the morning post and it was the piece of information Sawyer was waiting for help decide how she was going to react. There was a picture of the up and coming restaurant blown to bits, and the famous fountain shattered as Draco and Harry scuffled with some wizard she couldn't make out.

Then there was another picture of some patrons that had seen the outbursts.

One patron said, _"I was sitting eating the cream of pea soup when I noticed some wizards standing across the restaurant, and then the raised voices began and the wizards with red hair attacked Master Malfoy and Master Potter. I knew it was them because I have seen them at the restaurant before. Well first there was some yelling and then there was a few fists thrown and the red headed wizards started throwing curses. A force knocked my soup onto my robes."_

There was another account from a waitress, _"I knew something was wrong when I approached the table, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy had come in for dinner, it is normal to see them, and they normally talk business or quidditch. Then a red headed lady approached the table and she was talking animatedly with Mr. Malfoy. I couldn't hear what she was saying but she left in a hurry and I could tell that neither Mr. Potter nor Mr. Malfoy were happy to have a run in with her. Then two red headed men walked in and they started an uproar among the restaurant. I don't know who threw the first punch or cast the first spell but all hell broke loose."_

Another patron spoke, "_I had a first had account what was being said at the table of Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter. The girl with the red hair came up and was accusing one of the gentlemen of being an inconsiderate prick and a vile creature. Mr. Potter stood to leave so I figure it was he who caused the girl to react in such a way, and then some men I think they were family to the girl because they took Mr. Potter's advancement as a sign of attack and that's when it all broke loose."_

Sawyer read through the paper making the two gentlemen sitting across become nervous or anxious. But her plan had no effect on either, Harry was sitting as if it were still his office and Draco was only uncomfortable because Tag kept giving him winks and mouthing words he didn't understand to him.

"Well damn it Sawyer, I know you can read faster than that." Harry said getting annoyed at her prolonged silence. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"You did enough." Sawyer said throwing down the gossip section. "Do you know what kind of publicity this is going to cause?"

"Some?" Harry said shrugging and his sarcasm caused Draco to chortle but he shut his mouth when Sawyer glared him down. "Come on Sawyer you read the witness accounts."

"Yeah, it is all a bunch of speculation." Sawyer snapped. "Now I want to know what happened start from the beginning!" When Harry remained tight lipped, Sawyer turned to look at Draco. "Mr. Malfoy what happened tonight?!"

Draco looked at Sawyer and then to Harry. He could tell from Harry's face that he was in his mode of protection, but this entire situation happened because of his big mouth. "It's my entire fault."

"I highly doubt that, but I am sure you share part of the blame." Sawyer replied, "Now the whole story please."

"It all began way before dinner." Draco started his tale. "About midmorning when I went and picked up the girls for an outing on Diagon Alley."

_Draco and Astoria were walking along the street of Harry's neighborhood. They had been employed with the task of entertaining January for the afternoon since Harry was going to be busy and January had no work or business meetings to attend to herself. So Harry arranged for his good friend Astoria to spend time with his girlfriend. _

_Draco was just along to be used as a bag holder. _

"_So darling what are we going shopping for today?" Draco asked annoyed at the fact he was going shopping on his day off. Astoria had pulled the whole trick of making a meeting with him through his own assistant. She had the entire afternoon booked with her fiancé. _

"_Draco, stop with the sullen attitude." Astoria reprimanded. "I thought it would be fun to take January to some of the sights the Wizarding London had to offer. Plus we both have fittings for the formal robes this afternoon. God I am going to be so happy when this whole wedding affair is over." Astoria sighed. She had been poked, prodded, fitted and sized numerous times all to the thanking of Narcissa Malfoy. She had no daughter, and when Astoria agreed to allow the Malfoy matriarch to help plan the wedding, she didn't know she was signing her life away. _

_Draco smiled at the girl he fell in love with, he was afraid over the past few months his mother had gotten a hold of his fiancé and changed her into a society bride not the gal who believed in working hard and didn't compare the value of her robe with the robes another witch. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they stood on the front step and breathed in her scent. He placed a few feather light kisses on her neck and Astoria leant back into his embrace. _

"_You know." Draco said his lips dancing on her skin. "We could just not go shopping this afternoon and spend some quality time back at the loft."_

_Astoria stood stationary for a moment contemplating the idea but shook her head. She pushed Draco away and pressed her finger to the doorbell. "You are incorrigible Draco Malfoy."_

"_Incorruptible?" Draco offered. "Incompatible, insistent, in-need,"_

"_Inane, insane, immature." Astoria countered. _

_Draco laughed. "I win, immature starts with an im not in!"_

_Astoria rolled her eyes, "I think I prove my point."_

_The group strolled through the Alley finishing up last minute wedding details and stopping at random shops that January was interested in seeing. They stopped at an animal shop, a store that sold all sort of products used in brewing potions and January's favorite a store filled with flowers from around the world. She bought dozens of bulbs, seeds and all sorts of plants. They were walking out when January spotted a story sporting a big flashy sign._

"_What is that store?" January asked walking near to see the name. "Wizard Wizarding Wheezes?" She went to open the door but Draco grabbed her arm. _

"_January I don't know about this store." Draco said warning the girl. Astoria looked at Draco but shrugged when January sent her a questioning look. "We are late for Astoria's gown fitting." That got the girls attention away from the flashy store and down in the direction of a part of the Alley that the Weasley clan did not frequent. _

_They girls had been ushered into one side of the room while Draco was offered to wait in an area of the store that had a bunch of sample robes for men and women premade. He was thumbing through the store when a flash of auburn caught his eye. There was no other hair like Weasley hair especially her hair. _

_He locked eyes with the girl and he tried to move away but the girl called his name. "Draco Malfoy?" It sounded more like a sneer but he still turned to look at her face. The shop was known for its formal attire and did not carry robes for every day use. She either had to be shopping at the store for that purpose. He glanced at her fingers and saw a ring on her left hand fourth phalanx. _

"_Miss Weasley." Draco replied. _

"_What are you doing here Draco." Snapped Ginny Weasley, the past few years had allowed her face to grow but her beauty had not enhanced, the sneer that seemed permanent on her face caused it to scrunch and gave her a sour look. _

"_Shopping." Draco replied quietly. _

"_I don't know how they allow filth like you in here." Ginny said picking up a robe to inspect it but pushed the garment away. _

"_I am sure you understand quite well because they allowed you in." Draco replied allowing his temper to get the better of his tongue. Ginny's hair whipped back like a curtain and her eyes turned a stormy color. "My apologies miss Weasley."_

"_Don't waste your wicked words on me Malfoy." Ginny spat. "Did you follow me here?"_

"_What?" He asked wondering how she could pull away from reality that fast. _

"_Follow me, to abduct me, force me not to marry Robert?" Ginny demanded her voice was becoming louder which forced Draco to move forward and clamp his hand on her mouth. At that moment January stepped into the room to see this awkward position. _

"_Draco." January called but stopped when she saw the two. Ginny stepped away and glared at January. "Draco who is this?" January asked stepped forward to land next to Draco who was still watching the two women stare at each other. "Astoria was asking for you." January said remembering her directions to get Draco for Astoria. Draco nodded and left the situation but waited on the sidelines to observe the potential fight that could escalate in a matter of words._

_January offered her hand to the red head. "My name is January Bristow." January said politely but the redhead sneered at the protruding appendage. "How do you know Draco Malfoy?" January asked another question. _

"_He is just an old acquaintance of mine." Ginny said glaring at the lady. "What is he here for anyway?"_

"_Um, his fiancé is getting her final fitting for her gown." January said turning away from Ginny and started to observe some of the fabrics and designs. _

"_He is getting married?" Ginny asked._

"_Yep." January said it wasn't a word she used often but being around Harry she began picking up his mannerisms and he liked to say the words yep and nope rather than yes and no. _

"_You are her aren't you." Ginny question cocking her head. _

"_His fiancé?" January asked and then laughed. "No, definitely not." She preferred the taller, darker and handsomer men then the aristocratically beautiful specimen of Draco Malfoy. She blushed thinking of Harry. _

"_No, I recognize you from all the pictures." Ginny said. "You are Harry Potter's new whorish handout." Ginny smirked at the girl. January only stopped for a moment but looked up to Ginny's eyes. _

"_Excuse me, but I don't think I wish to be part of this conversation anymore." January said turning from the crass customer and took three steps before she heard Ginny call out._

"_You know he is just interested in you because you are some charity case he has to save and put back together." Ginny laughed. "He will stop favoring you once you are on your feet and you have no need for him. He will then have no need for you and whatever you might have to offer him."_

"_How would you know?" January asked stopping for a moment allowing the girl's words to weave a blanket of doubt over her mind. _

"_Easy, I was his first damsel in distress." Ginny said smirking and walked towards January. "And what do they say about the first, it's hard to forget?" Ginny was towering over January for the moment relishing at the distress she was creating for Harry's girlfriend. January looked up at Ginny. _

"_You have it all wrong." January said stepping back and glaring at Ginny. "I don't need any saving."_

"_I don't see what I am missing." Ginny said looking to the side as if she was bored. _

"_I didn't need to be saved to get his attention." January said patting Ginny on the arm. "I'm an all new kind of first for him I guess." January said and walked back in the direction of the dressing rooms. She was just behind the door when Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her to his side of the wall. _

"_You are truly brilliant." Draco said patting her on the shoulder. "And you are wrong Miss Bristow."_

"_How's that Mr. Malfoy?" January asked by mimicking his last name routine._

"_You are the one saving Harry." Draco said. "And we all can see it; please don't go breaking his heart." And with that request the two stepped from the wall towards the dressing room that Astoria had been patiently waiting for her friends to return to help her with a drastic decision._

Draco stopped for a moment and looked at Harry for a moment. Harry hadn't known the last little piece of information. He knew of the run-in with Ginny Weasley, and some of the interactions between Ginny and January but not the entire extent of the situation.

"Mate, she wanted to tell ya about everything herself." Draco said and Harry just nodded.

"So this doesn't explain what happened at the dinner meeting you two had." Sawyer said after listening about the story Sawyer had a new respect for January. The doctor truly was brilliant.

"It sets up what happened later in the evening." Draco explained. "You see after we finished in the dressing room the girls decided to go out to a late lunch and then meet Twyla for dinner and drinks leaving Harry and I up to our own devices."

"Your devices lead you to having a public brawl in a fancy restaurant and destroying a piece of priceless artwork." Sawyer stated clicking off the things on her fingers.

"That was priceless?" Draco scoffed and both Harry and Tag laughed at Sawyer's reaction.

"Please continue with your explanation." Sawyer gritted through her teeth.

"I guess I will continue with the next part." Harry said. "It really was nothing at first Sawyer. We didn't even do anything."

"Destruction is not doing anything?!" Sawyer snapped.

"It was my idea to go to the restaurant because the head chef sends over his weekly menu to me." Harry said and Draco made a jealous noise.

"Typical." Draco muttered.

"It's not my fault people still like me for saving the world." Harry rebutted the muttering man.

"Really man, you can only ride that broomstick for so long before it gets annoying." Draco said and Sawyer rolled her eyes at the two juvenile men sitting arguing about who gets treated better.

"Well it still seems to work." Harry laughed. "Anyway," He cut Draco off by speaking over his voice, "I knew that the special tonight was supposed to be the prime rib and well I was craving it."

"You couldn't have just asked your house-elf prepare you prime rib?" Sawyer asked.

"You don't understand Sawyer," Harry said and Draco nodded, "The prime rib at the restaurant is so perfect and delicious you would swear it was magical." Harry laughed. "I will take you there the next time it is on the menu Sawyer then you can make your decision. Besides Kreacher isn't the best at preparing meat."

"Ok so prime rib got you to the restaurant." Sawyer said getting the conversation on track.

"Yeah, well we were sitting at my usual table-"

_Harry and Draco were seated immediately upon their arrival. Harry saw the line at the door and grimaced at the special treatment he received but followed the hostess and Draco to the table. "We are so happy you could come tonight." The hostess gushed and set the menus in front of the gentlemen. _

"_There is no need for menus." Harry said handing the fancy black leather bound menus to the hostess. "We both want the special tonight."_

_The hostess nodded and jetted off towards the kitchen. Draco glared at Harry, "You know I hate it when you do that."_

"_What?" Harry asked pulling out his portfolio from his bag. He had some business papers to finish reading over and Draco needed to sign the contracts as well. _

"_Just assume that I want the special." Draco said pulling on the dramatics. "Ordering me around like you own me."_

_Harry sat forward and stared deep into his friend's eyes. "Darling, I am sorry for it, but I do own you. For the next four years I do have your ass thanks to a legal binding issue that you created. So please go shove a broomstick up your arse and get over it."_

_Draco laughed and the two sat in blissful silence doing last minute paper work. It was halfway through their dinner when Draco caught sight for the second time in one day the color of red. She was walking their way and he could tell she meant trouble._

_Ginny Weasley was on a mission. "Well look whose here." She snapped and smirked as Draco and Harry both went rigid in their seats. "Draco second time today, it's been awhile Harry."_

"_Twice too many for my wishes." Draco muttered into his water glass. Harry covered by turning to Ginny._

_Harry looked up to see Ginny Weasley for the first time in nearly five years. Since the night of the wedding when she was dancing with Seamus or Dean. "Miss Weasley. You should order the house special tonight, its prime rib, incredibly delicious."_

_Draco coughed into his napkin. _

"_I met your new charity case today." Ginny said stepping towards the table. "April, March, or whatever her name is. She's cute for an American I guess." _

"_She was pretty sweet though standing in the dress shop." Ginny said thinking back to a memory of the afternoon. _

"_Ginny."_

"_What is she good in bed Harry?" Ginny pressed. "Does she satisfy all your wants and desires?"_

"_Ginny!" _

"_How bad does she need to be save Potter?" Ginny asked her voice getting terribly low. "Have you killed her brother?"_

"_GINNY!" Draco yelled she finally stopped her verbal attack. "Just. Just go the hell away." He was defeated from the attack and she hadn't even directed the words at him. Harry was silently cutting into his steak and eating the few remaining pieces ignoring the words from the woman. Ginny glared at the boy who lived lack of reaction. _

_She stormed away from the table. _

_Harry remained silently eating. He remained silently slicing, stabbing, scooping some garlic mashed potatoes onto to the fork to accompany the steak and then putting the utensil to his mouth. He randomly reached for his water glass but stayed with his routine. _

"_Potter." Was the word that stopped his routine. It was the identical voice of Fred Weasley. One of the voices that randomly he heard in his nightmares of the fateful night of the last battle and the voice caused Harry to still more a moment. _

"_George." Harry said turning around and looking at the lopsided twin. Bill Weasley was also standing with George but slightly behind looking menacing and glaring at Draco and Harry. "I just told your sister about the house special, you should get it." _

"_Go apologize to my sister." George snapped. Harry silently placed his fork and knife on his plate wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin and then placed that on the table. He motioned to Draco towards the exit and Draco nodded._

_The pair stood up from the table and Harry turned to leave but George who waited silently jumped forward and struck Harry in the face with his fist. That was when the brawl began, Harry pushed George away and Bill was quick to act by casting a spell that forced Malfoy and Potter into the fountain. Harry yelled at Draco, "No don't!" Because Draco had his wand at the ready to fight back but at Harry's command he lowered his wand. That was when George took another swing which caught Draco to slam into the crystal statue causing the thing to tip. It was Harry's turned to disengage George with a quick defense maneuver and then pushed the man to the ground. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Bill. _

"_LOWER YOUR WAND." Harry said. "I WILL DO IT MYSELF IF I HAVE TO." Harry demanded and Bill faltered and put his wand down. It was then when George jumped up and tried to hit Harry one last time when Harry caught the blown and twisted George into a vice grip. "Mr. Weasley, I have had about as much of your family as I can stand in the past few months. I would appreciate it if your family would leave me and my friends the hell alone. Now good day."_

_Harry let go of George and didn't bother to motion for Draco to follow. Draco stepped over the rubble and past the Weasley brothers, "Bother Mr. Potter again, and you will be hearing from his attorney." Draco threatened and quickly hurried towards the door where Harry was talking to the manager about the destruction. He was explaining that he will cover all the expenses of the fight and apologized profusely about the situation. _

Harry stopped his story. "There that is what happened Sawyer. We didn't provoke anyone, nor did we go looking for trouble."

"I know Harry, I didn't think you would." Sawyer said feeling sorry for using such a tone earlier. "It's just your name, and Mr. Malfoy's name does cause a lot of publicity where ever you two roam, and this is not the type of publicity the Foundation needs. Besides I have to look out for you two, you tend to attract attention. Not always for the best."

Harry smiled at his former assistant. "You know what Draco." Harry said looking conspiringly over at his friend. "I think that is the closest I have heard Sawyer come to say she actually likes you."

"Hell, from Sawyer, I would take that as a statement of love." Draco laughed.

"I did not admit any sort of declaration of adoration." Sawyer snapped. "But it is in the best interest of the Foundation that its legal department and the name of the bloody foundation did not go and get into public displays of destruction. Someone has to look out for you."

"Ahh Harry, did she just say it again?" Draco said standing up and moving towards the desk. Harry stood up as well and the two went to hug Sawyer who had moved at some point of the story to be physically closer to the pair. She was now sandwiched between the legal department and the founder.

"I hate you both." Sawyer snapped and pushed the two away but smiled at their playfulness. "I will clean everything up with the owners Harry, no need to worry about anything."

"I never do thanks to you Sawyer." Harry said and kissed her on the cheek. Sawyer glared as Draco tried to make the exact advance towards her cheek. She pointed to the door and Draco, Harry and Tag walked to the exit.

"Harry wait a moment. I need a word with you in private." Sawyer smirked and Tag sent her a wink. He closed the door behind him and Harry lingered for a moment. "I really didn't need you. I'm just taking a note from the book of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy."

"A page?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, a little payback is what the head of the legal department deserves." Sawyer smiled and within seconds after she finished her sentence came a loud yell.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!"

Harry looked at the door and Sawyer smirked. "Tag has a bit of a man-crush on Mr. Malfoy."

Harry started laughing and opened the door to see a chuckling Tag and Draco was standing as far away from Tag as humanly possible in the small confines of the room. "Tag, I'm sorry but my good friend is currently spoken for."

"I garnered that when he screeched about his fiancé." Tag laughed and winked at Draco who ran to the door.

"Sawyer give Tag here a raise." Harry said, "And if you need a reason, say it was I have never seen Malfoy so unnerved in my life. I think that is a good enough reason."

**************8

**That is the end of that chapter. I know I have like no excuse for my delayed absence but it is hard to think up of chapters to write on top of all the homework I have had plus the stupid flu. But I came up with some idea of Potter Retribution, payback to the Weasleys. I think the next one will be about Molly, or I might save her for the last. But I am going to admit to all my wonderful readers, the story is coming to an end soon. It is nearing the wedding, and all the loose ends are becoming tied up. So enjoy, and I will try to have another chapter up promptly. **

**AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave me a review. It actually does inspire me to write more and it helps warm my heart! **


	22. Chapter 22

Harry's life was perfect.

No scratch that.

Harry's life was so close to perfect, it put a spring in his step as he walked down the cobble street of London. He had reason to be thankful, and happy. First it was his favorite time of the year, snow had begun to drift down from the clouds, thoroughly coating the city in white and he could see his breath escaping his mouth in a shimmer of white.

The second thing was his business was thriving, and he hardly had anything to do with the Foundation but show up at galas and smile pretty. Plus he was beginning a new project with his work life.

_It happened about a month ago when he was sitting in his new office tossing a ball to hit the ground, bounce up to hit the wall then sail back into his hand. He had been playing his little game for half the morning and he could not stop. He was feeling like the ball, just mindlessly existing and carrying out the same jobs each day. _

_His life was a bore._

_He continued his ministrations when the door to his office flew open and his second in command/first in command of the Foundation, Sawyer Tate stood in the doorway. She looked positively disheveled and her breathing was erratic. _

"_Sup?" He asked trying out an American response he picked up from a television show he had begun watching with January. _

"_Mr. Potter!" January snapped, "Is there any reason for you to be in the office today?"_

_Harry shrugged his shoulders. In fact there wasn't, January had left the day before yesterday, and Draco was on his honeymoon with Astoria. His normal forms of distraction were out of the country and Harry was feeling a bit loss and under motivated. "No."_

"_Then can I suggest you leave?" Sawyer asked and whipped her wand from her pocket and stopped the ball mid-bounce and summoned it to sail into her hand. _

"_But I don't want to leave." Harry said. "I'm bored." He pushed himself away from his desk and followed the annoyed Sawyer from his office. She had turned after the point of catching the ball, but she didn't go directly to her office, but to the front of the Foundation and opened the door. Then she threw the ball down the street. "Sawyer!"_

"_What?"_

"_What if I told you that was the only thing that remained of my parents, how would you feel after throwing the ball down the street?" Harry asked trying to sound serious. _

"_Mr. Potter that was some s.w.a.g. gift you got from a medical conference. It had a drug logo on it that cures impotency." She smiled wickedly as Harry turned a shade of red. "Now if you were that severely attached to the ball, I could go run and get it for you."_

_Harry smiled wickedly back. "I am."_

"_What?"Sawyer blanched. _

"_I love that ball, go get it please." He smirked as Sawyer glared at her boss. If that look could talk, or perform any sort of action, Harry would have been killed, brought back to life just so she could kill him again. Sawyer grumbled, "You offered Mrs. Tate, please go get me the ball."_

_Harry watched as she stomped down the street to retrieve the little rubber ball. He didn't stop laughing until she returned and shoved the ball into his open palm. Then followed her up the stairs back to her office. _

"_Go away Harry." Sawyer sighed plopping herself into her chair. There was a mountain of paper work to sift through, and she was planning on being home early enough to make dinner. With Harry Potter in the room, there was a good chance of her never getting home let alone get there in time to make dinner._

_Harry laid himself onto a chair. "I need something to do with my life."_

"_Get a hobby."_

"_I have hobbies Sawyer; I need something else, like a challenge. You have the Foundation, Draco has law, Astoria has medicine, Twyla has her celebrity-ness, and January has her science. I need something." Harry said bouncing the ball once. "I feel like this rubber ball."_

"_You want me to throw you against the wall?" Sawyer asked hopefully and Harry chuckled. _

"_No." _

"_Mr. Potter, why don't you go play quidditch, lord knows you would have an easy enough time getting on the team all it would take is an owl." Sawyer said glancing over a proposal. She pushed it over to the deny pile. Sometimes she felt like Santa Claus with naughty and nice piles of letters. _

"_I don't want to play Quidditch professionally. It would take all the fun out of the sport." Harry whined and put his feet up to rest on the desk. "The decorator gave you much more comfortable seats in your office."_

"_Mr. Potter those are the exact seats you had." Sawyer pointed out. "I just changed the upholstery."_

"_Did you add a cushioning charm to it?" _

"_Can you please leave?" Sawyer asked banging her head on the file pile on her desk. Harry laughed. "Are you completely lost without Mr. Malfoy here to drag you into all sorts of public shenanigans?"_

"_It isn't always his fault."_

"_Just most of the time." Sawyer countered. "Harry why don't you write about Quidditch?"_

"_Like a book?" Harry said thinking the idea was complete bullocks and Sawyer needed to go get her head examined by a Healer. He was about to suggest just the idea but she interrupted his thoughts._

"_No, not a book. That would be the worst book in the history of books." Sawyer smiled behind a manila folder. "I was thinking like writing a monthly Quidditch column for a magazine. Merlin knows you have a way with words and finding interesting angles."_

So it was settled in his brain about writing columns on Quidditch. He sent a couple sample writings to some business associates at various magazines he subscribed and was a major beneficiary at, and most sent back raving reviews. He sifted through the proposals for work, to find the one he found most appealing. Every few weeks he would write a five hundred to two thousand word article about Quidditch. It could be on games, personal interviews, and just puff pieces on his favorite teams. Harry had no restriction but it gave him some direction but allowed him to have a free schedule.

The third amazing thing in his life was his girlfriend, even though she was in America finishing up some experiments then she was moving to England full time.

_They had been sitting in bed one lazy afternoon, January leaning against the headboard with the sheets tastefully placed around her body and reading a folder that contained new research on the separation of particles from their source ions. Harry was resting on her lap mindlessly tracing circles into her leg and staring at the wall. _

"_January I was thinking." Harry said suddenly stopping his body drawing. He waited for her to acknowledge his words with an hmmm and then continued, "About the future."_

"_Yes Harry?" January asked putting the folder down her hand had been softly threading into his soft hair. _

"_I think if you want me to, I will move to America with you." Harry said sitting up and January was blow away at his statement. _

"_You would move to America?" January stopped. _

"_Of course, it makes more sense, I mean the Institution is there, your research is all based out of there, your colleagues and associates." Harry said shrugging. _

"_But what about Draco and Astoria. Martin and Sawyer, plus the Foundation and Mrs. Malfoy." January asked pleasantly forgetting to mention Twyla Goodwitch in her list of important people in Harry's life._

"_The foundation will survive. Plus there are all sorts of muggle contraptions the others can adjust to using to keep in touch. Airplanes, phones, computers. The works." Harry said shrugging. "Besides I think Twyla will actually be shooting a movie in New York City this next fall."_

"_How wonderful." January muttered. She didn't hate the witch. Harry laughed and gave January a good pinch to her side. _

"_We could find a place to live outside the Institute right? I don't think I could handle living with all those intelligent…scientist around. It would definitely ruin my reputation."Harry asked crossing his fingers. He loved the teasing his brilliantly gifted girlfriend. _

"_Who knows Harry it might even rub off on you." January said giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "Just the other day I heard you use the word parasitic and hyperbolic in the same sentence." _

"_You just never gave me the chance to show you my brilliance." Harry said moving to kiss her again._

"_Oh, I know of your brilliance Mr. Potter." January said seductively and moved close to his ear blowing a soft breath across his lobe. "Is that why I found the exact sentence scribbled on a note card in your sweater pocket?"_

_Harry flushed, "I was brilliantly trying to get into your pants Miss Bristow. Which I did!"_

_She laughed and he pushed her to the mattress to assault her mouth with his own. It was only after a few moments when they returned to a comfortable resting position. Their breaths were as fast as their heartbeats and January was resting silently listening to Harry's beating muscle. _

_It was a few minutes later when she thought about his proposition. "I think I am going to have to say No."_

"_It's a little late for that love." Harry said kissing her head. _

_She smacked him for the crass innuendo. "No, I am saying no to your future. I don't want to live in America for the rest of our life." Harry's heart swelled at her mentioning the words 'our life'. It was then settled in the middle of the afternoon, that the two would move in together at Grimmuald Place, and in the next few months convert a few rooms on the fourth floor in an appropriate work area for January to perform her research. _

The fourth was that he was truly happy; it had been awhile since he had been this content with life. It was until he starting sifting through his own personal correspondence, a few letters from Mrs. Malfoy, an Owl from the ministry and Hogwarts, a few files Sawyer wanted a second opinion on and a letter for Twyla who was filming from location in South Africa. She was inviting him for a visit.

It wasn't until he reached the last few letters when a large envelop fell onto his lap. It was addressed to him, and Draco Malfoy. It had been resealed and the postage was already placed but it had been mistakenly placed in the received pile. Harry was about to place it in the correct section when he saw who the letter was from. "The Wizard Law Enforcement Office."

He quickly opened the letter and scanned the first few lines. His hand was shaking from anger by the time he reached the end of the first page, and all he could mutter was, "God damn it Draco."

* * *

So it is short. Not that good, and really nothing happened. I truly am sorry for the delay. There is no reason but to blame myself for getting caught up in the ways of life. I finished my fall semester December 15th so I will be able to devote the next five weeks to you guys and finishing up this story. Molly didn't get what was coming to her this time, but I swear, it will be great.

I would also like to personally thank FriendofMolly for getting my fingers in gear to writing without her, this chapter would still be floundering in the abyss of my brain. This chapter is dedicated to you!

I also am going to thank all the others that reviewed. I enjoy reading every bit of feedback, and it does inspire me to write more. Sometimes I am just a horrible writer that procrastination has settled into my mind.

I promise another chapter to be up before Christmas!

Good day!


	23. Chapter 23

_Three weeks after we left of in the last chapter……_

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

My eyes had been glued to my master's shadow as it traced the oak floor. He has been pacing for the few hours and I was wondering when he would stop. I had rooms to clean, but my master had demanded me to watch him.

'To keeps him from the liquor cabinet.' I remembered his dark speech, and his eyes filled with hate. I hadn't been 'fraid of eyes such as his since before the dark times. I was afraid the old master was back. The old master that loved the drink.

The nasty, evil drink.

I had wanted to ask what is the matter, but it is not the house-elf's place to question their master or family they served. It was instilled into our nature to behave and be faithful. Bad things happened to house-elves that didn't follow the strict code of servitude.

But still, the darkness that filled my master's eyes.

I was afraid.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Left.

There was a knock at the door and I glanced to my master's shadow. I could see he had stopped his pacing but he made no movement for the door. "Master, should Kreacher answer the door?" I asked quietly. I broke his solitude.

"Who could it be Kreacher?" My master's voice was cold and it bit at my inner-soul. My master had never had such a tone in his voice. I was thinking it would be best if I didn't answer the door. I watched my master turn; his looked perilously down at me. "Kreacher go see who is at the door." I shirked away from his stare.

He took a step closer.

"Master, maybe we let them think no one is home." I suggested.

"Why would we ever do that Kreacher." My master stared maliciously at me. I felt compelled to stare directly into his eyes. I wanted to scream and cry for my old master, not this mean master. I wanted my master's special friend to return. The mistress January always happened to make him smile. I knew she had this effect, I was not an ignorant house-elf, and I watched and spied on the human interactions between my master and his lady-friend. They were thoughtful, and meaningful. It had been a long time since a master of the house of Black acted genuinely in love. "Kreacher?"

"Master is not himself." I muttered my reply quietly and suddenly the room grew cold even when the fireplace was emitting large orange flames. I wondered if I took a breath with my mouth open I would see the white cloud escape. I knew he was angered at my accusation but I did not look into his eyes. I could tell his mood by how he was holding his hand. It was tight, in a fist where his fingers were wrapping around themselves so hard the blood was draining and the muscles were beginning to spasm from the strain. Then, I watched my master sit himself into a wooden armchair.

His eyes never leaving the door, and then he cleared his throat.

"Kreacher." He said. "The. Door."

I shuffled slowly hoping there was a chance the visitor would leave for the long absence. "It was an order." My master bit towards me. These words caused me to spring into action, even though I fought with each step and tears sprung into my eyes from the pain. My master was not himself, but I had not place to disobey an order. As I gripped the handle, a blind magic forcing me to turn the handle, and I tried with my might to pull away, feeling sharp pricks of pain in my bones from the strain but eventually the knob gave way and the wooden door opened inches. I put my feet in the way to prevent it from opening entirely and so I bent my head forward to peek onto the stoop.

The visitor had been descending but turned once the door made a squeak.

I knew from the moment I saw the hair that it was a Weasley coming to visit. I darkened at the very thought of the family and how the behaved the many months they inhabited my master's house. They flitted around the house acting as if it was their own, destroying precious artifacts and family heirlooms in the process. But this was a Weasley I didn't know. He was not present during that time, but I could see the family resemblance.

"Is your master in?" He asked politely stepping back onto the front step. To lie to him would be breaking one of the Ten House-elf Commandments, and it was punishable by death, or even worse freedom.

Fighting to keep my mouth shut, some powerful magic managed to force my head up and down. The Weasley man looked at me weirdly but I had no mood for his attitude along with my master's personality change. "The Master is in, but not himself." I explained feeling a sharp prick in my side for talking somewhat badly about the family I served loyally.

"KREACHER WHO IS AT THE DOOR!" I heard the demand being bellowed from the living room. The Weasley gave me a look and I reluctantly allowed the man passage. Even if I hated the Weasley family I did not have the heart to subject them to this new master.

This human less master.

I took the man's coat, then showed him into the dimly lit sitting room. My master was still sitting in his chair and when the Weasley man followed me through the archway I could see him visibly stiffen.

"Why if it isn't Percy Weasley?" My master spat at the man who winced at the greeting. I wanted to apologize and ask the man to return. I wanted to banish him away from the house but I was unable to do so without an order from my master. "I was just thinking to myself I was having a rather good day, so naturally I was wondering when one of you or your blood relatives would come to ruin it."

"Harry." The man name Percy shift from his spot on the rug. He had yet to sit down because my master had not extended that hospitality.

"Did you come here as well, to run me in with your wand like your mother?" My master asked viciously. "You were always her special one. You come to make me call off the witch hunt they have against her?"

I could tell that my master struck a nerve in his visitor because the tips of his ears had turned red. He began to open his mouth but my master threw him a nasty look and continued with his own diatribe. "Does your family know how much money you cost my foundation any time I run into you. All the negative press that gets kicked up because of you, all the god damn paparazzi I face, and the god damn rumors and lies that are spread because your family has some vendetta against me?"

"That's Ron, Mum and Ginny=

"I don't give a Merlin's shit who is doing it." My master yelled standing up from his chair. The wood in the room darkened considerably as if the light was being suppressed by his anger. "I can't even count on my hands the many times I have directly and indirectly helped your family out and that was when I was ONE of your family. Then you wanted nothing to do with me, so I respected your wishes and left you all alone. I made a new family, a new life, I moved on. But the mighty Weasley's cannot allow that to happen."

In the midst of all this, my master began his pacing again, back and forth as if he had been mulling over this subject for years, honing the exact words and speech to come of perfect.

"Harry." The man pleaded, I could hear the whine in his voice to quell my master's accusations and stinging remarks. "Please."

My master stopped looked at Percy Weasley, "WHAT THE HELL DOES YOUR FAMILY WANT?"

* * *

_Back three weeks…_

Now that all might have been a bit confusing, but Harry Potter had the right to be angry. He had been having a good day, that day he had been sifting through the mail. A good day until he had stumbled upon the legal document that his lawyer had been compiling in his off hours behind his back. Draco Malloy was too good for his own good. He had been hunting through Harry's financial holdings, piecing together what his friend might have to loose, or gain if he invested.

Really he was curious to see how much the boy who lived twice was worth and if he measured up with his own fortunes.

Malfoy was expecting his friend to be quite wealthy, he came from the Potters, a wealthy pureblood family, but he had also been the sole heir of the Black Family Trust. So a quite a bit of money. Plus there was the entire Foundation.

But besides the numerous vaults and the high stacking galleons, it was a piece of paper that caught Malfoy's attention. The piece of paper that started the entire process of retribution that Harry so desperately needed to have, or the one Draco thought he deserved to receive. It was the contract that the Weasley twins made years, and years ago entitling Harry Potter as the third owner of the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes franchise. The fact that it was written on the back of a transfiguration essay, and that it was signed and dated by technically three minors of the state, it was a business document that stated Harry solely owned one third of the business. That was when there were no stores, and now there was at least a dozen around the world. One stock alone was worth a dozens of galleons, but owning one third of a business and not even asking for a dime.

So Draco formulated his plan to extract revenge. Call it the Slytherin in him, and the fact it was the Weasley family, he could feel the satisfaction with just thinking of the shock he would be delivering the family. It was the type of deep satisfaction after running a good mile, or getting an A on that American Religion final project you totally did the wrong way but somehow brilliance shined through the end and the professor loved it.

So he got the paperwork together to sue the Weasley store demanding his equal share of assets or being allowed to be instrumental of the day to day process.

That was the paperwork Harry found. It had already been filed and reviewed by the Weasley wizarding attorney. He wanted to tear up the paperwork right there. There was no way Harry was going to allow this type of lawsuit actually go to court. He had yet to talk to Draco about it, but he frantically apparated to Draco's office to find him. Harry knew he could find him there, he had just returned from his honeymoon, and needed to spend a little more time at the office to catch up.

Harry barged into the office unannounced and startled the young lawyer. "Merlin's balls Harry, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Draco said clutching his chest and then magicked his desk to clean up the spilt tea from ruining the documents.

"What the hell is this Draco?" Harry demanded throwing the papers at him. The envelop fell onto Draco's lap and he pulled out the contents. Draco paled a bit.

"Look Harry.:

"Don't you bloody look Harry me." Harry snapped stomping towards the desk. "You will not use me or this as some way to get revenge on the Weasley's. I don't even know how you came to that idea."

"I was doing it for you Harry."

"Oh sod off Malfoy." Harry said venomously. "You did it for yourself, because you are sore from how Ginny treated you, and how Bill and George confronted us the other day. I won't have it. Fix it Malfoy."

Harry walked to the door. "What if I don't Harry?"

"I said fix it." Harry said glaring at Draco once more then left the building. Fuming mad he left the building and stomped down the Alleyway, not noticing his feet carry him to the ever populated Diagon Alley. He rarely visited this exact Alley because of all the memories and the chances of running into the Weasley family. But his feet had a plan and he was too preoccupied to notice his surroundings.

It was when he was sitting at the Leaky Caldron, sipping on plain soda water trying to calm his nerves when he heard his name being screamed across the bar.

"HARRY POTTER!" It was the voice of Mrs. Weasley.

Harry turned slowly and saw the Weasley matriarch for the first time in years. She looked somewhat the same, vivid red hair and height. But there was a countenance in her face that made her look sour. Her eyes no longer danced with happiness but shimmered with anger and derision, her mouth was no longer turned up at the corners but spread across her face in a frown as if it was her natural expression. She had gaunt cheek bones from nights of brooding and not eating properly.

In short she looked near wild when Harry turned to look at the person bellowing his name. She was also standing in the dining area with her wand at the ready and she was breathing heavily. He stood slowly and took a step towards. "Madame, may I assist you somehow." Harry asked trying to subdue any scene but he knew it was inevitable to be in a public place and meet a Weasley that didn't send his publicity into the shitter.

"Assist me?" Molly screeched pointing her wand towards Harry. She took a step closer with each word. "Help me like you helped my son to an early grave Potter?"

Harry paled at the vision that still haunted him of Fred Weasley. "Madame, I do not think this is an issue that needs to be discussed at wand point." Harry said trying to get her to surrender her wand and possibly avoid any type of altercation. He noticed a few wizards and witches had turned to see what was going on. Tom was closely watching the two.

"I will hold my wand anyway I want. Potter." Mrs. Weasley spat shoving the wand hard into Harry's chest. "I will keep it here."

"Besides the death of Fred-

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY HIS NAME!" Molly screamed and in seconds Harry was being thrown across the establishment slamming into tables and finally the wall. There was a sickening smack of his head hitting the wall. Harry stood up slowly.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Harry again tried but he was sent into another wall, glass and plates flying and breaking to pieces.

"FIRST YOU TAKE MY SON, NOW YOU ARE TRYING TO TAKE MY OTHER SONS BUSINESS AWAY?" Molly Weasley was crazy. She flung another curse towards Harry who had yet to brandish his wand and allowed the curses to just burn into his skin. It was then when the initial shock settled the magic folk in the building sprang to action pulling out their wands to stop the brutality and the attack of the boy who lived.

Harry was lying on his back, he was near blacking out when the pain stopped and he felt cold water touching his arm. He opened his eyes to see Mrs. Weasley being pulled out of the establishment by three strong looking wizards. He figured they were Aurors. There was an emergency Healer that had been summoned but he pulled away.

Harry stood up and walked towards the Aurors. They had shoved her into a magical transport. "What will happen?"

The Auror jumped in surprise to see Harry Potter looking battered and beaten. "Sir you should really allow the medic to assess your injuries."

"I don't give a hippogriff about my injuries, what will happen to her?" Harry asked taking a quick glance at the woman that once held him like a son and he cared for like a mother. She looked up and started screaming at him.

"You will have the opportunity to press charges, but since she caused such a public disturbance we will have to take some precautions with her. She will be taken to the Ministry for holding until she is sentenced, or released on bail."

Harry nodded. He took one last look at the woman, she glared at him eyes filled with contempt. It was there he no longer cared about what happened to her. He was numb to their hateful remarks and anger. "May I say one last thing to her?"

"I don't know sir, it's against protocol."

"Please, it needs to be done." The Auror nodded and magically rolled down the window of the car. Harry ducked close enough so only Mrs. Weasley to hear him statement. "From this moment on, Mrs. Weasley, I feel nothing for you or your family, good luck to you all. Bitch."

* * *

Reviews? Please?


	24. Chapter 24

Percy Weasley had been sitting in his office staring at the Wizarding Ledger, a more prominent and reliable paper that dealt more with business dealings and facts that it did not attract the readers that clambered for the hearsay zeal that the Prophet seemed to spit out almost daily. Though he read this boring and fact full report every day, there were some days that Percy Weasley craved the rumors of the wizarding world.

Sitting, on that Thursday morning, about to having his midmorning break of tea and new reports, Percy was distracted by the thoughts of how obvious his life had become. Once a power-hungry lout recently graduated with high honor and expectations he devoured the bureaucratic lifestyle plowing through the ministry echelons paving the way to be one of the country's youngest Minister of Magic. He had high hopes all those years ago, before the war, turning his back on his family, ignoring the advice from his friends, and losing almost all human touch with the world of reality as the ebullience of power clouded his mind and kept him warm at night.

But he had his lapse with power, he came to his senses in a time when he wasn't really needed or thought about but he did his best to mend the rift between himself and his family.

He was the Weasley that didn't make sense. His brothers and sister had such a dominating tone in the familial structure: Bill with his obvious sense of duty, following his father into ministry work with his brains and good looks he was the amazing perfect first child; Charlie, even though now he was not involved with the family, he had been a perfect addition, the sporty one that could have gone pro but found a different love with dragons; the twins each had their role as the family tension breaker, the natural zeal and humor allotted the two to get away with murder in their mother's eyes; Ron had been his mother's baby from day one, even after she had Ginny, he had been mollycoddled from a young age and though he was whiny he could do no wrong; and Ginny being the only girl and his father's favorite it was easy to distinguish that she was deemed for greatness.

So it was how he felt when being compiled with his family, so he decided to be the most perfect Percy the world had ever known. He set examples, and tried to outshine all of his siblings with his achievements. Setting a difference between himself and his siblings at first but then he felt compelled to set a difference between himself and his family. In truth, Percy had been embarrassed of his family all those years ago when he was in his last few years at Hogwarts and working for Fudge. He felt he had been born into a wrong Pureblood family, thinking the familial resemblance was just a coincidence and that he had been adopted from a young age.

He wondered how his family thought about him after all those years of separation. He had abandoned them, not acknowledging their existence that was rather difficult with there were so many Weasley's to account in the country. He figured they thought he was stuck-up, power hungry, a snob. They were all true at some point in his life, but he made amends during the last war, fought alongside Harry Potter and his clan.

But now it was all different. He pulled away from his family again, not because of a different reason but for the same reason just on a different stance.

Harry Potter.

He had distanced himself from Harry Potter and his family the first time because it was social and political suicide to have any tie with the boy who lived. He didn't want anything to do with that scar-head because he was so intent on fulfilling his dreams of becoming a minister of magic and if it meant cutting off his family from his life, then so be it.

But now, he distanced his family because he was sympathetic towards Harry Potter. It started about six months after the Final War with Voldemort. His mother had a nervous breakdown of some sort and decided that Harry Potter was not allowed at the house or any family function. He had listened to the conversations his mother had been having with his other brothers, casting a dark shadow over the "Potter Menace" how she had referred to Harry after a bit. She had called him names, manipulated his friendship with the family to be a relationship of means to an end.

Even blaming Harry for the death of Fred.

During this time he kept to himself, not interjecting but just watching and observing as slowly his mother was able to portray the boy who lived to be as bad as the Dark Lord himself. The humor in the situation is that his mother never attempted to discuss the new hatred the family felt towards Harry with himself, she just passed over him, like usual, assuming he was on board with the new regime.

So it was after the wedding between Hermione and Ron that Percy began to distance himself even more physically from his family and their lecherous thinking.

He was embarrassed again at how the turn of events had played out, his insipid mother, his cuckold father, and his outlandish siblings. He wanted nothing to do with his family.

So he moved to Bristol, away from London and Diagon Alley, accepting a position at a firm that was one of the major caldron manufacturers of the wizarding world. Percy was in charge of regulation and data. He lived far enough away that no one knew the name Weasley. He was able to establish himself and recreate a personality that was affected by the way his family thought of him. It was like learning to breathe.

So when he was sitting reading his Ledger, he found that the normal Wizarding World gossip had been so immense it spread to the corners of his own business forward paper. The front page had his last name splashed about the headlines, a picture of his mother being hauled into a car, and there was a brief caption stating she was being held for the possible attempt on Harry Potter's life.

His mother tried to kill the wizarding world's hero.

"Merlin's ball." Percy whispered as he continued to read the rest of the paper. It was hard to distinguish what happened because there were so many accusations and assumptions being offered. He garnered that there was some sort of altercation between his mother and Harry Potter. That Harry Potter didn't even raise a wand to defend himself, and that his mother had been detained by three Aurors and being held at St. Mungos ward.

After he set down his paper and draining the last sips of his tea he made his way out of the office momentarily stopping by his secretary to say he was taking the rest of the day. He was three steps outside when he apparated to the old headquarters of the resistance. Though he had never been there when his family was occupying number 12 Grimmauld Place, but he had been able to ascertain its location through the years.

Percy had been meaning to use the information for years now.

To do only one thing.

Apologize.

* * *

He was standing on the front stoop trying to get a hang of his words. Really to grow some confidence to just raise his hand and knock on the door. Percy had been standing there for three minutes, not able to continue forward.

Finally fed up with his inaction he allowed his fist to connect with the wood. He waited two minutes before deciding to leave when the door opened an inch. It was a house-elf looking out with just his beady eye visible.

"Err, is your master in?" Percy asked. He could see the elf visibly restrain his head but he squeaked.

"Yes!"

"May I see him?" Percy asked noticing the door inch open more.

"KREACHER WHO IS AT THE DOOR!"

A voice bellowed in the house at the house-elf to operate and soon Percy was standing in the foyer taking in the sheer elegance of the Family Black townhouse. Little did he know that it was only structurally the same. The house-elf sadly showed Percy down a hallway to a living room and in a chair Harry Potter was sitting in the darkened room.

"Why if it isn't Percy Weasley?" Percy gulped at the greeting he received. A letter probably would have been better. He was quite eloquent with his words. Harry continued, "I was just thinking to myself I was having a rather good day, so naturally I was wondering when one of you or your blood relatives would come to ruin it."

"Harry." Percy shuffled uncomfortable balancing his weight from one foot to another. He couldn't bring his eyes to look into the man his family had betrayed so harshly over the years. From vicious rumors, to abandonment, now his mother took the cake with attacking him in public.

"Did you come here as well, to run me in with your wand like your mother?" Harry asked viciously. "You were always her special one. You come to make me call off the witch hunt they have against her?" Percy paled at the accusation.

Harry struck a nerve with Percy because he could feel the tips of his ears turning red. Percy began to open his mouth but Harry threw him a nasty look and continued with his own diatribe. "Does your family know how much money you cost my foundation any time I run into you? All the negative press that gets kicked up because of you, all the god damn paparazzi I face, and the god damn rumors and lies that are spread because your family has some vendetta against me?"

"That's Ron, Mum and Ginny=

"I don't give a hippogriff's shit who is doing it." Harry yelled standing up from his chair. The wood in the room darkened considerably as if the light was being suppressed by his anger. "I can't even count on my hands the many times I have directly and indirectly helped your family out and that was when I was ONE of your family. Then you wanted nothing to do with me, so I respected your wishes and left you all alone. I made a new family, a new life, I moved on. But the mighty Weasley's cannot allow that to happen."

In the midst of all this, Harry began his pacing again, back and forth as if he had been mulling over this subject for years, honing the exact words and speech to come out perfect.

"Harry." Percy pleaded the whine in his voice to quell my master's accusations and stinging remarks. "Please."

My master stopped looked at Percy Weasley, "WHAT THE HELL DOES YOUR FAMILY WANT?"

Percy sank to the couch his head falling into his hands. He was a coward, the spineless git that never belonged to any sort of situation. That was how he was so at ease in Bristol, he was able to be a solitary unit, not needing anyone never ruining any expectation or hurting any feelings.

* * *

Harry was nearly standing over Percy, watching the once pompous older peer physically shrink into a blotch on his sofa. His dark eyes followed the actions but he still was seething from the frustration and anger. The last thing that was needed was a Weasley to appear on his door step.

"Why did you come here Percy?" Harry snapped trying to move the conversation along so he could go and deal with the other part of his life. He watched Percy breath slowly and he felt his eyes roll in his head. The man seemed broken, and Harry realized that he was probably here to plead for the safety and leniency on his mother. Make some plea that his mother was not right in the head. Harry felt the anger begin to simmer as he watched the Weasley grasp for some reality. "I'm not pressing any charges against your mother. If that is what you came here for. I have already owled the administration to let her go."

Harry turned away so he didn't see the man's head pop up. He stopped only when he heard, "You did what?"

Harry sighed, "I owled the ministry,"

"Why the bloody hell would you do that?" Percy snapped sitting straight. "My god Harry, my mother attacked you brutally, you were defenseless and trying to stop her, she could have killed you. And you are letting her go scot free?" Percy found his voice. Harry watched as the third Weasley have a little freak out in his living room.

"What of it?" Harry asked.

"Are you bloody insane?" Percy asked.

Now Harry Potter was floored, his best friend had gone behind his back seeking some self-needed retaliation, was publically attacked by a deranged woman he thought of as a mother, and now was being called insane by her own flesh and blood for not pursuing charges against her. To say the least it was a day to be marked on the calendar.

Harry stood there looking up at the ceiling trying to find the puppet master that was dictating his life, and while he was lost in thought he was hit with the hilarity of the day. He let out a laugh, coming deep from his belly and stood there just letting more laughs erupt from his mouth.

"Err" Percy muttered looking towards the house-elf for answers.

"Master has finally lost it." Kreacher whispered which caused Harry to break into more laughter.

It was minute before he regained his composure. "What the hell are you doing here Percy?" Harry asked again most of the anger has siphoned off through the laughter, but he could not feel anything but bitter towards the red head sitting in his living room.

"I came to apologize Potter." Percy said plainly. "Not in an attempt to get you to go easy on my mother and her recent actions towards you-

"When you say actions you mean attack right?" Harry smartly interrupted Percy.

Percy rolled his eyes, "Yes, her recent attack, I wanted to apologize for… for… everything." Percy said throwing his hands up in the air. Harry simply watched him for a few seconds before nodding his head up and down meaning he understood what Percy was trying to articulate.

"I see." Harry said feeling a bit of his bitter soul lighten. "Okay."

It was all he could summon to say to the Weasley. Harry had been settled in the vicious cycle of wondering, moving on, and forgetting that he did not know how to accept the apology. It was something to say, but did it make up for all that time and all the recent situations he had been involved in because of the same family.

So he extended a hand to Percy. It was the only gesture he could figure was appropriate. Knowingly, Percy stood taking the hand and then left without another word.

* * *

**OK.**

So it's rushed, rough and poorly written. I am sorry but I got fed up with this chapter, and well Molly (the wench) did get something, but as I was writing I just couldn't bring Harry to be bitter and hateful. It is just not his nature. As to the part of Percy Weasley, I have always had mixed feelings for the third Weasley Child. Being a third child in my family, I feel somewhat understanding towards his actions in the story, but did at one point hate his guts.

In the next installment it will involve Harry, and the new clan. The same hilarity will return, and maybe just maybe Draco and Harry will reunite to being friends again.

So I hope you guys enjoy this installment. I am sorry if it seems….lacking? If you could review I would be more inspired to get the next chapter out promptly and better written.

Ema


	25. Chapter 25

"Harry darling," The front door swung open to reveal Narcissa Malfoy standing on his front stoop. The sunlight was glaring down into his eyes making him realize that he had been sleeping late into the afternoon. It was his way to avoid the letters and other parts of his life that seem to keep butting into his life.

He just wanted to be alone.

But there had been the persistent buzzing of his door. Kreacher had returned to being a lazy lump, too afraid to move from his kitchen to interact with his master, so it left to Harry to remove himself from the body lump imprint on his couch to stagger to the door. Yanking open the door he was left face to face with Narcissa Malfoy.

"Well, are you going to let me in dear?" She asked leaning towards then eventually just pushed him aside and walked into his house, and with a flick of her wrist the door slammed shut and Harry was left with nothing but to follow her into his living. She only walked into the room looking at the general lack of care, the dust on the woodwork, the stench that was protruding from unwashed clothing, and just the lack of cleanliness.

"Mrs. Malfoy, may I ask what you are doing here?" Harry asked confused as to why the matriarch of his former friend was standing in his house.

"To invite you to a party." She said nonchalantly looking at the pile of dishes piled by the couch. Harry felt ashamed at the state of his house, but he had not been expecting her to descend into his life. He figured she would take Draco's side in the situation and he would never hear from her again.

"I am not scheduled to make any appearances for the Foundation." Harry said he was still nursing the wounds from the public attack a week prior. The Weasley woman had been found guilty but on mental defects from duress, and she was sentenced to spend the next couple of months being monitored at St. Mungos, and then to carry out a probation at her home. Harry tried to pull as many strings as he could, but it was out his hands. In the end he was left with four cracked ribs, some internal bleeding in his back, and a fractured wrist. "I told Sawyer to not accept any invitation for me to attend."

"I know that." Narcissa said, "I have already talked to Sawyer, and she agreed that you were completely free for this type of function and that it would be a mandatory attendance."

"Mrs. Malfoy, I am sorry but it is my Foundation, you ladies cannot dictate what I can and cannot do." Harry stammered to stand his ground. "Besides, January is supposed to return soon and I would really like to get the house back up to running order."

"Oh, I already cleared it with our dear Doctor Bristow. She gave me the go ahead and pencil you to attend this function." She smiled as Harry perched himself on the arm of a chair. He muttered something that sounded like, "Merlin damn these women." She wanted to chuckle but she was getting down to business.

"Is there a certain dress code for this function I have no choice in attending?" Harry asked sullenly.

"There's no need to be petulant Harry Potter." Narcissa said arching an eyebrow to the young man. Harry straightened up but did not smile to the matriarch. "But your question is a good one, yes its black tie. So please dress accordingly."

"Have you already coordinated a suit for me to wear?" Harry asked knowing better then to ask the question.

"Yes, Sawyer made sure to get January's style choice, she will also be in attendance, but you won't see her until you show up." Harry groaned audibly. "Do you need something to eat?"

"No mam." Harry said sullenly. These women were going to be the death of him. "Is there any special reason for this function that all the women in my life seem to have conspired against me?"

"I wouldn't say conspire is the right word choice." Narcissa said putting a finger to her mouth and thought for a moment,

"I don't know, it's synonymous with plot**. **And its definition is to plan or agree on (a crime or harmful act) together in secret." Harry said interrupting Narcissa. "I am feeling like this is some large plan, which every woman seemed to agree upon to carry out some crime or hurtful act in secret."

"Well it won't be hurtful." Narcissa snapped. "Your suit will arrive the day before the party, if anything needs to be tailored please just send it to Sawyer, she will know what to do." She moved out of the room with Harry on her heels. He was feeling a bit shameful for being so rude to the lady. She did nothing to deserve the snarky treatment.

"Narcissa, I'm sorry." Harry said gently detaining her departure out the door. "It has been a stressful few days." Narcissa smiled at him and he realized he had just been played yet again. It was his weakness, anything with estrogen that seemed hurt made Harry jump to be the savior.

All he could think was, _THESE DAMN WOMEN._

* * *

**The end!**

**Ha just kidding**

**Keep reading**

* * *

It turned out the function was Mrs. Malfoy birthday. There was no age set to the matriarch because it was unladylike to mention one's age. Harry was sulking in the corner feeling like an ass for not realizing the function was her birthday party, since he had been attending the last few and dates like birthdays were etched into his memory. The second reason he was feeling so annoyed was Draco Malfoy was in the same room. He hadn't talked to Harry, he had remained on his side of the room, but dinner was slowly descending upon the crowd and if Harry knew any of the women in the room, it was going to be used as some ploy to get the men talking again.

They were to eat in the East Wing, which held a smaller dining room that normally was used for smaller functions, and since there were only twelve people helping celebrate Narcissa's birthday there was no use to sit at a table built for forty.

In Narcissa's words, "I thought it would make it for a more comfortable experience." She said while she placed herself at the head of the table which was to be expected. Everyone else found their respected place cards, January who had only briefly kissed his cheek when he appeared at the party but was skirted away to talk to Astoria and Twyla about the big move across the ocean. January was sitting on Narcissa's left with Martin next to her, then sat Draco, then next was Sawyer and a Sir John who was an old friend of Narcissa's to finish up one side of the table. At the opposite end facing Narcissa was Astoria then it was Sawyer's husband, then Twyla was placed next to him, and Harry was sat next to her, then sat Sir John's wife and her sister that took the remaining two spots.

This meant Harry was sitting directly across from Draco and they just started the first course of the five course dinner.

"So has your trip been good?" John's wife asked January who had been briefly introduced and explained she had just returned from America. The conversation was that strained, seven of the twelve individuals could tell there was a difference in the atmosphere and that if Sir John and his family had not been in attendance someone would have already yelled at the two to get over their little tiff.

January nearly jumped at the question, "Yes, it was very good; I didn't think I would adapt too quickly to England but I really did miss it while I was back at work." January momentarily glanced at Harry who missed the sweet glance because he was spooning his crab and mushroom chowder around his bowl.

"Mr. Potter, Narcissa tells me that you started the Potter Foundation with your own inheritance. That is mightily generous." Sir John mentioned and Harry did not notice the comment. It wasn't until Twyla connected the point of her elbow into his rib.

The one that was still recovering from being cracked. "Merlin!" Harry muttered under his breath, tears springing into his eyes from the pain. "What was that Sir John?"

"The foundation Harry." Sawyer's husband Arnold said. The first course bowls were being cleared away and the next course of mixed wild field greens served with roasted beets, crumbled blue cheese, toasted pine nuts and orange vinaigrette was set before the guests at the table. Harry took one bit blanching at the beets but he managed to swallow one bite.

"Yes, I did Sir John." Harry said shrugging his shoulder.

"Narcissa also said you just celebrated your nuptials Draco." Sir John commented painfully trying to keep the conversation going. "Congratulations to the both of you." Sir John said toasting his champagne flute into the air while a few others joined in the salute.

"Yes, we just returned to the country from our honeymoon." Astoria said stepping up to continue the conversation.

"Was it a beautiful ceremony?" Sir John's wife Beth asked.

This got the group to discuss every beautiful arrangement of the flowers, to the menu served at the reception, to the flow of her dress. It was painfully boring, and Harry was leaning back in his chair staring directly across the room at the picture hanging behind Draco's head.

Usually when this happened, he was able to make faces at Draco and the two would be able to disappear into their own world while the girls managed to entertain themselves. The third course of handcrafted watermelon sorbet was just being taken away and the fourth course of the slow roasted rack of lamb was being placed. This course was served with a natural pan jus, herbed Yukon gold potatoes and asparagus. The asparagus was another vegetable that Harry highly disliked.

He spied over to Draco's plate that had finished most of his meat and was pushing his own asparagus across his plate. "Draco quit messing with your food." Narcissa naturally scolded her son and at this Harry couldn't contain his snicker. It was then when Draco's head snapped up and glared at his mother.

"Do you find something funny Potter?" Draco said maliciously.

"Yeah, a grown man being scolded by his mother." Harry said taking a sip from his water glass. "I find it laughable."

"Harry!" Four voices reproached his name and it was Draco's turn to smile at his dismay. Arnold, Martin and Twyla were all smiling at the exchange.

"Looks like you are the child now Potter." Draco snapped and put the corner of his cloth napkin to the corner of his mouth. It came down to the asparagus on his plate that Harry took from the spear and threw it directly at the ferret's head. The green limp vegetable flew across the table and smacked the heir in the forehead.

The majority of the table sat in stunned silence.

One asparagus turned into two, and then it turned into potatoes and sauce. Names were being exchanged in the form of, ass, pottyhead, ferret, scarboy, idiot, and so on. The two were about to upturn the table when the two were finally restrained by a magic force.

"I have had enough." Astoria deadpanned and the two men groaned as the magic forced them to look in her direction. The room was destroyed; the majority of the food was either on the wall or the floor. The other guests had pushed themselves from the table; Narcissa had excused herself completely to the next room.

Harry was completely dumbfounded when he found himself sitting in front of the roaring fire of the library. After a quick cleaning spell, Astoria had practically frog marched the two into the library and locked the door behind her.

He had been expecting Twyla, Sawyer or Narcissa to step in and make the two to stop acting like children, but it was the sweet Astoria Greengrass-Malfoy. He had never experienced her magic firsthand, and he knew that she had a power behind her glasslike features.

"Astoria." Draco tried his wife but she held up her hand to his plea.

"Not now." Astoria said quietly. She put her hand to her head. "I am trying to wrap my head around the chaos you two just caused. Two full grown wizards, accomplished young men, acting like spoiled brats."

At this point she was just mumbling her words, "You revengeful jackasses, you've been acting as if you have had broomsticks shoved up your arses, have you been hit in the head by a hippogriff, I swear to Merlin and all that is magical if I hadn't sworn to use my gifts of magical healing for only good, I would dismember you piece by piece and hide you around the globe. I highly doubt anyone at this party would miss you. I mean what the hell?"

Harry had been watching the fire letting the words flow over his back knowing that everything had gone wrong. He had known two day s after he blown up at Draco, but he could not bring himself to apologize to the stupid man.

"You both are so ridiculous." Astoria snapped, "You both will remain in the room until you both get over this little fight so your bromance can resume to its normal state of happiness."

"Bromance!" The two both exclaimed.

"Yes, bromance." Astoria glared at her husband and friend, "You will figure your crap out, and then you will come apologize to EVERYONE at the party." With that she stomped out the room magically sealing it as she left.

Harry stared at the floor. He watched the fire for a bit, "I wouldn't call it a bromance." He remarked breaking the tension. Harry knew it had to be him. Draco didn't know how friendships worked.

"Definitely not mate." Draco said agreeing with his friend. "Good friendship at most."

"Oh totally, that wife of yours-

"Totally out of her mind." Draco finished his sentence. It was in that short exchange that everything was on the mend. Harry stood and held out his hand and Draco took it in a half second. "Though she is quite sexy when provoked." Harry smirked at his friend's dirty mind.

Harry started to walk towards the door when Draco cleared his throat. "Harry, I am sorry. I shouldn't have done any of that stuff…" Draco managed to apologize. "Keeping it from you, using this information to, I don't know, extract some lasting revenge I wanted."

"It's okay Draco." Harry said. "It's just the unresolved issues I still have. The fact I still can't bring myself to do anything mean to them. Like I want to always be the golden boy of niceness." Harry tried explaining his idea to why Draco's actions affected him so greatly. "Guess that makes me the nancy in our relationship."

"So totally true." Draco said flexing his muscles then looked at his shirt. "Ugh I have sauce on my shirt, man this stain will never come out!"

"Yeah, you are totally the masculine one." Harry said chuckling at his friend who glared at his sarcastic tone. The two emerged from the room after a few more minutes of banter. It took a few minutes to find the party had retired to the formal living room to have the dessert of maple Crème Brûlée.

The stood in the entryway but Draco held Harry from entering the room. "Wait, Potter this could be a trap." He whispered. "Mother." Draco called to the birthday lady. "May we enter the room?"

Narcissa stopped listening to Twyla's story to regard her son, "No."

Harry nearly chuckled but stopped himself when he saw January was darkling watching him. Draco motioned for Harry to step away from the doorway. "Draco what are you doing?"

"She said no Potter." Draco said. "Trust me, if we cross that threshold we will not be walking out of this house on our feet." This made Harry turn white.

"Do you have a firsthand experience?" Harry quietly asked and the pale look on Draco's face and the wince of his eyes made Harry know the answer without the verbal response. "Whoa, okay I will follow your lead." They continued across the hall where the grand staircase was and Draco motioned to take a seat on a stair. "Seriously?"

"Just do it, give it three minutes, then we will get dessert." Draco said, "And we only have maple crème brulee once a year." Harry quickly perched himself on the step. Harry watched his wristwatch, and exactly three minutes passed and Martin stumbled into the hallway.

"Were you sent to fetch us?" Harry asked standing from his spot.

"No, im here to join you." Martin responded to the question. "I was kicked out for making a comment at how funny the food fight was, and then suggesting you two should be allowed back into the room."

"My mother did that?"

"No Twyla." Martin explained and took a seat next to the Harry and Draco. The three remained on the steps for another thirty minutes when Sawyer, Twyla, Arnold, January and Astoria appeared in the foyer. Twyla motioned for Martin to follow her, and they gathered their coats said their farewells and left after Sawyer and Arnold also exchanged their own forms of good-byes. Harry stood up from his step.

"What do you think you are doing?" January asked glancing at Harry as she pulled her own jacket from the closet. Harry glanced at Draco who was silently shaking his head. "Sit back down; no one said you could get up."

"But-

"Draco, Harry!" Narcissa called from the living room. January and Astoria shrugged at the questioning look but the two walked slowly into the room. The other guests had excused themselves to their rooms somewhere in the house, and Draco and Harry placed themselves on a couch. "Have you both finished your childish antics?"

"Yes mother." Draco said and Harry complied by nodding his head.

"Good. Now you may go home." Narcissa said excusing them from the room. Draco motioned for Harry to exit quickly.

They were out in the foyer grabbing their own attire from the closet. Harry noticed that the girls were waiting in the window seat. No one said a word until they were out the door. It was then Harry let his hand connect with the back of Draco's head.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Draco said rubbing his head.

"You said if we just waited we would get dessert. You got my hopes up Malfoy." Harry complained. They heard the familiar groan of Astoria. "What's that my dear Mrs. Malfoy, do you have something to say?"

"Yes Mr. Potter." Astoria snapped stepping a foot closer to Harry. "You and my husband are ridiculous." Draco smiled and gently wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.

"Now, now Astoria, there's no reason to throw that word around. I thought it was my own pet name you gave me." He said quickly leaning down to kiss her lips.

"Ha, your pet-name is ridiculous." Harry laughed. Draco looked over to January conspiratorially.

"Harry, should I repeat your pet name?" January asked which mad Harry pale. He turned quickly and grabbed her hands. "I think Draco would enjoy it immensely."

"I think we should keep that one between us." Harry said leaning down quickly enveloping her into his arms feeling again at peace when he inhaled her genius aroma. He placed a kiss to the hallow of her neck.

"Wait now what is it?" Draco asked wanting to know the name.

"It's Nu-

The two sidelong apparated on the spot leaving Draco and Astoria on the front porch, Draco took his wife into his arms. "I'm sorry for being so ridiculous." Draco sighed feeling content as she relaxed in his embrace. "From now on, I will only be ridiculous about you."

* * *

Ahhh Draco can be such a charmer!

Ok that's it for that chapter. I wanted so much more but I figured the Harry and Draco that I have in the story wouldn't have a lengthy drawn out drama filled talk, that's too…. Ron Weasleyish. So it took some conniving females, a food tantrum, and being locked in a room.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. There are probably two more after this. So PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU LIKED HOW IT ALL WAS HASHED OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus it's my birthday this coming Tuesday…(I would love reviews for it).

Have a good day!


	26. Chapter 26

Publicity can be quite powerful to the person who yields it as a tool. ..

These are a few examples of good press.

"**Harry Potter spotted with girlfriend!!!!"**

_It was a beautiful Saturday and Harry Potter was spotted dinning in the early morning with his recent female companion. Rumors are in the works saying she is the rebound girl of the recently engaged Twyla Goodwitch. The two looked quite cozy strolling down the muggle street of London with their arms around each other. They looked comfortable and cozy; a close source to Harry says that wedding bells are in the future for Harry and this girl._

Witches Weekly!!!!

"**Spotted, Potter, Goodwitch, Malfoy and other A-List Wizarding Folk."**

_At the recent art opening of Spellcast Pictures, which is a benefit art show that the proceeds are being donated to the Potter Foundation for the arts, the entire group was dressed to the wand's tip. The night included an art auction that Harry Potter took turns in, and then later was a silent auction that rumored Mr. Malfoy placed the highest bid of a basket of baby clothes? Are there going to be the sounds of Little Malfoy's running around the streets of Diagon Alley? _

_We can only hope, Astoria Malfoy looked positively glowing…_

Witches Weekly

"**Cuties Captured!"**

_The inseparable duo, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, were spotted sans women at the Puddlemere United match against Chudely Cannons. The two were cheering on the Puddlemere team to a victory and after a happy win were nice enough to answer a few questions for the pleasure of our readers. _

_WW—Where are the ladies of your lives?"_

_DW—You know our fans are the most important ladies of our lives!_

_HP—When your wife reads this you will have to buy her something expensive and sparkly. _

_DW—A new racing broom?_

_HP—Maybe a nice tropical island?_

_DW—Great idea Potter, I will name it DRACO'S DOMAIN!_

_HP rolling his eyes—No the girls are having a "girls day" so Malfoy and I decided to catch a match._

_WW—Were you happy with the United victory?_

_DM—Delightfully happy, but not surprised they were by far the stronger team!_

_WW—Which team were you cheering for? United?_

_HP—Yeah I'm a Uniteder through and through!_

_WW—Mr. Malfoy?_

_DM—Definitely a Puddlemere fan, the orange clashes with my-_

_HP- EGO._

_DM—I was going to say my eyes._

_WW—Mr. Malfoy you were recently spotted purchasing a basket of baby clothes, is there an heir on the way?_

_HP—Merlin help us if there is._

_DM—I was buying the basket for a cause and for a present for a good friend of mine. No sounds of little Malfoy Feet running down the streets just yet, is that how you put it._

_HP—Besides the only sounds of feet running down the street would be the feet of the people trying to escape your children._

_DM—When my wife reads that you will have to buy her something expensive and sparkly._

_HP—An island right next to yours?_

_DM—Sounds perfect!_

_WW—Very good Mr. Malfoy, we are happy you read our publication._

_DM—For Witch Weekly of course. _

Witch Weekly…

"**Romance is flying up in the clouds"**

_Well it was trying, Harry Potter was spotted with his girlfriend January Bristow at a Puddlemere United practice field trying to teach her to ride a broom. Though the two looked blissfully in love, there was no achievement of height. _

_Pictures can be seen on page…._

Stars Follower

These are examples of not so much good publication.

**Not another Weasley Wedding**

_Ginerva Weasley, daughter of Arthur Weasley and Molly Weasley who was recently linked to the brutal attacking of Harry Potter, was found in a lover's lip lock with another man four days before her wedding. Details of the upcoming nuptials have been put on hold and from our stance if the man marries the Weasley girl he will be getting a Sleazy wife… Good luck!_

Wizarding Community

"**A Weasley Sentencing"**

_After the brutal attack on the Savior of the Wizarding World a few months ago, Molly Weasley, wife of Arthur Weasley and mother to children Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ronald and Ginerva, was sentenced early this morning to a light sentence of mandatory grief counseling and probation. The Weasley family should be kissing the feet of Harry Potter, it has been rumored that he dined the sentencing judge to go lenient on the Weasley family matriarch. When asked to comment on the rumor, the ungrateful matriarch glared and it was her who husband stepped forwards and thanked the speedy process of the judicial process. _

Wizarding Press.

"**A Weasley and most definitely a Chance for Scandal"**

_Ronald Weasley was booted from a Chudley Cannon's game for brawling with other fans, exposing himself in the public and being publically intoxicated. He has been banned from future quidditch events. As the red head was being pulled from the stands he was bellowing profanities about the lack of talent the players had. When asked to comment a representative of the Chudley's Corporation explained that Mr. Weasley had tried out multiple times for the team but never progressing for due to various reasons and he has been barred from any future tryouts. _

_This could spell some financial trouble because the quidditch union has threatened to pull Wizarding Weasley Wheezes products from the sale at all quidditch games and other advertisement. _

_When asked for a comment, no Weasley was willing to come forth. _

Quidditch News.

Harry put the recent quidditch article on the night stand next to his bed and glanced as January walked into the room from the bathroom. She was going through her nightly routine of moisturizing her face and rubbing the remaining lotion into her skin. Harry smiled at the garment she had for sleeping attire, it was an old quidditch training jersey he had from his Hogwarts days. It was the only thing she appreciated of the sport, his training jersey that she confiscated when her clothes grew too tight.

"Are you finally ready for bed?" Harry sighed as she moved to her side of the bed pulling up pillows searching for an elastic band to keep her hair tied up. The little things always went missing, but what she didn't know was that Harry stole them because he found her hair down intoxicatingly attractive. He had a secret stash in his nightstand drawer.

She rolled his eyes to the question. "Excuse me for having more things to do before bed besides falling into the covers."

Harry snorted, "I would never just fall into the covers, I pull them back first then fall into bed." He smiled and then kissed her soundly on the lips distracting her from the search. She continued to return his kiss and her fingers travelled into his hair to mess up the already disheveled tresses.

January pulled back to return to her search when Harry's strong arms encircled around her waist. "Come to bed!"

"When I find a hair tie I will." She said pulling back the covers farther. "If you know where one is sleep will come sooner."

"I wasn't thinking of sleeping." Harry muttered under his breath but received a good whack on the shoulder by a pillow. "But I do know where one of your hair thingys are."

"Well give it to me!"

"Why Miss Bristow how impolite of you." Harry said showing the evidence of the elastic band poking out from his enclosed hand. "I will give it to you only if you ask nicely."

"Harry, the band, now!" January said holding out an open palm for the tie.

Harry shook his head.

January leaned close to Harry's face dipping her mouth close to his ear and kissing the jaw line for a moment. "Harry, if you don't give me the hair tie now, I will never sleep with you again." She sealed the threat by blowing on the sensitive skin and she watched as Harry swallowed slowly. January sat back and held her hand open.

"The hair tie?" January said to bring the dazed Potter back to reality.

"You take the fun out of everything." Harry said dropping the tie onto her open palm but more than just a black piece of elastic fell onto her hand. Lying on her hand was a simple silver band holding an emerald cut diamond that's sparkles danced in the low light of the bedroom lighting. "January, I had this elaborate plan to get down on one knee, profess my love and somehow trick you into marrying me with some smart proposal, but we both know you are the superior intellect in the room."

January could only nod yes to his statement.

"January Bristow, you simply astound me by your brilliance, smile and beauty. Each day, you do something to make me love you more, and I want to spend the rest of my life returning the favor. Will you marry me?" Harry asked giving her a bright smile.

He took her speechless pause as a good sign and then…

The good doctor squeaked, "Yes." Then Harry plucked the ring from her hand and slid the engagement ring on to her finger and managed to confiscate the hair tie while he pulled her into an embrace to seal the decision with a kiss.

After a bit the two snuggled together under the covers, and January brought her left hand to inspect the ring again for confirmation that she was engaged to Harry Potter. "Did you simply propose so I would tie my hair back?" She asked.

"Only I could be that smooth." Harry said kissing her shoulder through the jersey. "I really like you in this jersey. Are you sure wearing this won't trigger something like osmosis to make the baby a star quidditch player when he comes out?"

He pulled her close and his fingers spread across the tiny bulge that resulted from the pregnancy. January rolled her eyes. "Absolutely not, besides she will be too superior intelligent to be distracted by such Neanderthal like behavior as playing quidditch."

"I don't know, her mother's superior intellect didn't stop her from falling for the quidditch Neanderthal." Harry said chuckling at the snort from January.

"It's cause that Neanderthal had the right amount of dollar signs to catch his mother's eyes." She started giggling at the onslaught of ticklish attack Harry was administering to her midsection. "Oh stop Harry, I'm just joking."

"Let's make a pact. Whatever this child wishes to be, we will love it unconditionally." Harry said finally and January sealed the pact with a passionate kiss.

* * *

**Fin-**

**Light and airy with a little Weasley retribution. I hope you liked it. I have hopes to add an epilogue looking a few months or years into the future; please tell me how you like it. I hope not too many are upset with the turns of events and enjoyed the last chapter. **


	27. Chapter 27

Harry Potter had been sitting on the same barstool for the past eleven hours. He had shown up on the street of Diagon Alley, and waited till the bar opened its doors. Tom had been pleased to see the young man waiting so diligently but he was rather confused.

The last time Harry Potter had been waiting for his doors to open, he had been sleeping off the night before when he had to carry the young hero from the establishment. So when the young man was standing outside pacing for the open sign to flip he was a bit wary.

"Is the Master Potter feeling alright?" Tom had asked wiping a few remnants of water from the glass tumbler. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Harry had not heard the barman's question because he was so deeply involved in his own memories that he was oblivious to the world around himself. There was only one reason to explain his current state of disarray, a woman. Though most recently it was the same woman that drove him to near insanity, January and her chaos inducing pregnant state.

Harry Potter and his fiancé had been blessed with a very easy first trimester, there was hardly a time of morning sickness, and the only awkward craving January had was about three in the morning and she wanted watermelon. Harry had to drive around for about an hour to find a store open, and then find one that was carrying ripe watermelon. This was also during the middle of the winter.

In her second trimester, she had only put a little weight, and one could barely tell she was expecting a new witch or wizard. Plus when the baby first started to move about in her belly, the baby would only move during the day hours. It was if he or she could see the sun shining through skin. At the sixth month check-up, Healer Munsk had asked if they wished to know the gender but Harry and January had made the decision to keep it a surprise.

So then they entered their third trimester.

It had been the trimester from hell. It was if the pregnancy had consumed January's mind completely and she had no control over her hormones for example with one look Harry had caused her to burst into tears, when he suggested an idea for the nursery, she gave him a look and Harry had barely enough time to duck out of the way from a can of paint flying at his head. That afternoon he spent hours cleaning the paint from the wood floor. He had been living strictly magic-free in the house because Astoria had so nicely lent some reading material to January.

Reading material that suggested the dangerous effect magic might have on a fetus. So after a serious conversation, Harry agreed to refrain from using magic in his own house.

It had been situation after argument to the next catastrophe and Harry was feeling an extreme stress, until they had been invited to Narcissa Malfoy's house for a baby shower brunch. Harry had been swindled into attending because Draco was being forced to go.

_Harry was sitting in the bar with Draco swirling a plastic cup filled with a sparkling pink drink. He was dressed in a pair of khaki's a pale blue shirt, while Draco had been forced into a dark suit with a bright pink shirt. _

"_Have I commented on your brilliantly pink shirt today?" Harry asked taking a sip of his cup. A flavor of strawberries blasted his taste buds and Harry was forced to wince from the pucker-factor. "Ugh this is disgusting."_

"_Yeah that was my mother's concoction." Draco said putting his own tumbler to his lips. His was filled with Wizard's brandy. Harry had forgone the alcohol because he did not need to have another situation and that he did need to upset his pregnant fiancé for having a drink. _

_Who knows how that might harm the unborn child?_

"_The shirt, the drink or both?" Harry asked smirking at his wit and took yet another drink of the strawberry disaster. Draco blanched and rolled his eyes._

"_Potter, are you sure you are mature enough to raise a child?" Draco smiled at the annoyed look on his friend's face. "And that drink was my mother's concoction; the shirt was my wife's idea. She had coordinated my shirt with yours. I guess our significant others thought it would be cute for one of us to wear blue, while the other wore pink."_

"_Well you pull it off quite well." Harry laughed and put his cup to the counter. "This drink would lead someone to drink."_

"_Yes, mother was quite excited for the day to arrive. She said this was like her trial run for when Astoria and I finally decide to have our own child." Draco said taking another drink then put his empty glass onto the counter next to Harry's discarded cup. The two moved from the bar area towards the formal living room to happen upon a room full of screams. _

_The girls were still playing games._

_They stopped in their tracks and turned back to another section of the house. "So are you getting excited for the little tyke?" Draco asked as the two stepped out into the mid-afternoon day. The garden had been untouched by the party. _

"_I have no clue." Harry said breathing in the crisp air. "I have no clue if I will survive until the baby comes."_

_Draco smiled remembering one particular lunch that Harry had slept through because January had kept him up until all hours of the night discussing different parenting books after working Harry all day to get the nursery decorated to the exact vision she wanted for the baby's room. "I thought the pregnancy had been so simple."_

"_Ugh, it bloody was until we got to these last few weeks. I swear with each passing week, and each extra pound she seems to gain, the crazier she gets." Harry complained, "I mean she is completely possessed by some strange spell."_

_Draco laughed and patted his friend comfortingly on the back. "I'm sure it will be better once the baby comes."_

"_I can only hope."_

"_How many weeks are you down to?" Draco asked. _

"_Four and a half." Harry sighed a relief. "And I have a feeling after the baby is born, I will be wishing for the crazy pregnant fiancé back. I have only heard horror stories from other father's at our breathing classes about how the baby only eats, sleeps and screams its head off for the first six months. One man even said that he fell asleep standing on the train one morning, nearly fell over and killed himself because he was so sleep deprived." _

"_Breathing classes?" Draco quirked his eyes at his friend._

"_One other stupid class we have had to go to prepare for the birth. We have gone to so many different classes, swimming classes because they are supposed to cause a bond between mother and child. Breathing classes help us prepare for the birth, and yoga classes that help keep the blood circulating and ease the muscle stress off the mother and child." Harry counted off the different classes he had been taking with January. _

_Draco was a bit confused, "These classes all sound like they should just be between mother and child, why would you go?"_

"_Draco do you think I enjoy going to these classes?" Harry said, "You do not want to know the headache I received from asking her why I needed to come to the swimming class." It had been a huge argument, going from Harry asking his need to attend a swimming class which somehow translated to January he was not ready to be a father and was regretting his decision. This led to the hormonal January to take her ring and throw it at Harry's head._

_One of the many arguments that led to an inanimate projectile being hurled into the air at his head. _

"_Have you decided on a name for the baby yet?" Draco asked, "I hear Draco could be quite a cute girl's name. Think of the child, Draco Potter. Nice ring to it." _

"_We haven't even started talking about names." Harry admitted and they turned back to the house because they heard Astoria calling their names from the living room. The men walked into the living room and Harry took his designated spot next to January giving her a customary kiss on the cheek while Draco stood next to his wife with a hand on her hip. _

"_Where have you two been?" January returned a kiss to his cheek and touched a hand to her stomach because of the baby's movement. A pile of baby presents seemed to fountain in front of the pair ready to be opened and praised over. She reached out for the first package, being from a friend from America. The two opened the wrapping together to find a three baby one-sie outfit. The first was blue with a picture of a microscope, another was pink with a magnifying glass, and the third was yellow with the periodic table of elements. The note with the package was, _

"_Saw a new line of baby science gear. Knowing your new tyke, it will be quite the brainiac. With love"_

"_They are adorable." January cried. _

"_Draco and I were out front just talking." Harry whispered while they passed around the next few presents, a few were baby clothes, bonnets, toys and memorabilia. "He asked what we were going to name the baby."_

"_Oh yes January what have you and Harry picked for your baby names?" Narcissa who was sitting closest to the pair. She had the wicked knack of listening to the quietest of conversations and interjecting herself into a private moment. January flushed realizing that they had yet to even think of what to name the baby. _

"_Well, I have always been fond of the name Thatcher for a boy." January commented. Harry chuckled at the idea and he found he was on the receiving end of a directed glare. "Is there something funny for my suggestion?"_

"_Well, I thought it was joke, I mean what Thatcher means, to fix a hay roof?" Harry smiled and looked at the other people in the room. Draco shook his head as a sign to stop. "I mean, it's an interesting idea."_

"_One that you obviously do not like." January said stressing each syllable. "Please tell us what you think of a good name for baby?"_

"_Well, I would rather pick something a little more common." Harry said shirking from his fiancé's angry face. The tone of her voice was as grating as nails on a chalkboard. He also understood that when she got this tone, he needed to back away slowly, and run in the opposite way as fast as possible. "Like Annie, Elizabeth or Claire."_

"_Ah, I like the name Annie." Astoria commented but shut her mouth quickly when January glared her down. _

"_Yeah, but it is so mundane, those popularized names are so boring." January remarked and reached for another package. The name discussion was dropped because Harry made the executive decision to not continue it further. _

The tension between the couple resided through the remaining presents, another game and cake and ice cream. The couple had returned home in silence and went about their nightly routine separately. Their avoidance was screaming denial.

They had just settled into bed, when Harry finally let out a strained breath. "Harry please just say what you want to say." She demanded lying on her side sandwiched between her pregnancy pillow and other gizmos. January was reading her most recent parenting book the chapter about the fourth trimester.

"I don't have anything to say January." He stressed her name and slowly she tried to flip over onto her back. She had become so big and bloated she had difficulty turning over.

"You have that tone in your voice. There is obviously something on your mind." January shifted still in her pillows. "Bloody hell these stupid pillows!" She nearly screamed but it was just another nightly occurrence for Harry. He groaned and made a move to help her but she just pushed away his hand. "Just let me be, I can do this."

"You know what fine, do it yourself." Harry said getting up from bed. His outburst surprised January to stop moving.

"What?" She asked.

"I am so sick of this." Harry said pacing in front of the bed. "You want me to go to classes, but you do not let me partake in anything, you want me to be part of the nursery, but you shoot down every single idea, you want me to be more this way yet you screech at me for doing just that, you nag at me for not being enough this way so I do what you want me to do. I cannot do anything right."

January remained tight-lipped and blown away into surprise by the outburst.

"I have a hand in this child January." Harry said, "And we to work as a team."

"Is this about the baby names and me shooting down your ideas this afternoon?" January asked trying to figure out a reason for Harry's actions.

"That would just be an example of how you have been treating me for the last seven weeks." Harry responded his frustration shown through his hands tightening into fists. "But I guess we could discuss what happened this afternoon. How you completely shot down my ideas."

"And you laughing at my baby-name choice wasn't hurtful?" January asked pushing herself into a sitting position. "I really like the name Thatcher."

"Well I don't." Harry snapped giving her a taste of her spiteful tone. "How about the name Rose for a girl." January rolled her eyes at this option. "What do you not like it because it is too popularized for your taste?"

"Well that and I don't really like the idea of Rose."

"But you like flowers and plants." Harry replied to her negative comment.

January sat for a moment looking at the ceiling and counted to four in Chinese. "Well, how about we name the baby Bludger since you like playing quidditch. Can you just see it now, our son running around the front yard, and we can call out to him, Bludge, bludge come over here."

"Well I guess his name would not be common." Harry grumbled. "And there is a different between naming a child after a flower and sporting equipment."

"Fine, let's name the baby if it is a girl nasturtium. Her nickname could be Nasty!" January snapped, if the two had not been so stressed, tired and well we could say it pissy and actually stepped back from the situation they would be laughing their heads off at the conversation.

"Why do you have to make everything so damn difficult?" Harry snapped.

"Why do you have to make everything so damn ridiculous?" January countered his question. Harry stopped looking January in his bed. He turned and moved to the closet. "Where do you think you are going?"

Harry turned only slightly. "I am going out, and watch this." He tapped the side of his head and in a magical instant his outfit changed from the blue cotton pajama set to a sweater, pants and a thick cloak. "Yeah, I used magic and I bet you the name Thatcher that it had no affect on you at all."

He turned on his feet and left the premises and then flooed away to Diagon Alley.

*****************************************8

So he remained there for the better part of the night, walking about the Alley and its random tangent alleyways. He barely noticed the different alleyways, which direction and any witch or wizard he might have passed. The hours continued into pass and the pain of Harry's feet continued into a dull ache to a piercing pain.

When he finally stopped he was standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron. It was still early morning and the bar had closed for the night, but Harry knew it was only for a few moments more so Tom could catch a few hours of sleep between the nighttime rush and morning breakfast orders.

So he sat, and waited on the cobble stone curb, until the barman came whistling up the street, surprised to find Harry Potter sitting at his bar-stoop.

"Mr. Potter can I get you a drink?" Tom said placing the cup he had been drying onto the bar. "Anything at all?"

"Tom have you ever dealt with a pregnant woman?" Harry asked.

"Um, no Mr. Potter I have not had the pleasure." The barman said and Harry laughed at the man's veiled attempt to appease Harry.

"Really it is no pleasure." Harry said. "Trust me."

Then Harry went into great detail about his last few weeks retelling his personal hell of the different classes, the stupid room, and the baby names. It was with every passing story, and each pressing minute that Tom listened like a good barman should, but also his smile grew.

It was after Harry finished talking that he looked at Tom for a response. "Mr. Potter, I don't know if you understand the life of a barman or ever thought what it would be like."

"No, I guess you could say I haven't." Harry grimaced at the poor man who probably sat through dozens of different chaps each day complaining for hours about their pitiful life. "I'm sorry; I never thought to stop talking."

Tom let out a laugh. "Merlin, no, I absolutely love my job. I have heard story after story and I have to tell you, customer stories are like fingerprints one is never like the other."

Harry still was confused.

"But sometimes there are threads a bit similar. Have I ever told you that your father used to frequent this bar; in fact you are sitting about three stools down from the one you are sitting in. And he used to come here from time to time. I remember one unique story. He was freshly married to your mother, maybe six months after the wedding, I provided the drinks mind you, and they had just had a doctor's visit." Tom smiled, as if he was reliving the memory. "Your mother had wanted to keep the gender a surprise but your father had really wanted to know. So he and Sirius managed to sneak into the doctor's office, swindle a nurse to leave the chart unattended and James peaked at the sex. Well at the same moment your mother had actually returned to the office because she wanted to know as well and surprise your father. Well there was a huge row, and your father had come to vent his frustrations and feelings of inadequacy just as you have been doing."

Harry smiled at the story of his parents.

"Was that the only time he came?" Harry asked.

"Merlin's balls no, he came multiple times before you were born, needing a place to escape for a few hours to unload his stress. But no matter the night, no matter the fight, he always returned back to your mum. So what I am trying to say Harry is that life can be hard but there is always something better behind the hard parts."

"I don't know." Harry said shaking his head.

"Do you love this girl Harry?" Tom asked in a fatherly tone.

"Absolutely."

"Are you going to be the best damn father to this child?" Tom asked and the look in Harry's eyes confirmed the positive answer but Harry nodded yes. "Well, boy you have had your time, get back to your girl and make it right."

So after the barman pep-talk, Harry left the bar and returned to number 12 Grimmald place to find the house completely empty. His fiancé, his unborn child and his house-elf was no longer in his house. "January?" Harry called hoping his echo would be returned. "Are you home?"

After thoroughly checking the house, he flooed over to the Malfoy townhouse. "MALFOY!" He bellowed into the house and he only heard a scurry of feet hit the tile floor. One of the many house-elves came rushing to the fireplace.

"Master Potter, the master and mistress has been looking for you." Teekhee the house-elf responded. "There was such a scream coming from your house earlier. Mistress Bristow needed a healer right away."

Harry stopped listening and directly apparated to the Healer's office at St. Mungos. The maternity ward always seemed like an ordered chaos whenever Harry and January went for a visit and appointment. Healers and nurses were rushing in all different directions while frantic witches and wizards screamed for attention.

And Harry vowed during their fourth month visit, that he would not be that wizard. "MY NAME IS HARRY POTTER, MY FIANCE IS HAVING MY BABY!" Harry yelled at the receptionist who simply smiled at the outburst.

"Sir, please calm down." She calmly took out her chart and allowed Harry a moment to collect his wits.

"I'm sorry, but I just found out she came here." Harry said trying to calm his heart rate. "Her name is Dr. January Bristow and I'-

"Yes Mr. Potter, January is doing quite fine. Here let me show you to her suite-recovery room." The medi-nurse smiled and walked through a pair of doors and he soon was engulfed in a completely different atmosphere. This wing was incredibly quiet, no screams except the quiet wail of a hungry baby or the coo of a happy proud family member.

After another turn, Harry was surrounded by Twyla, Sawyer, Martin, Narcissa and Kreacher. "HARRY!"

Before he responded to any of their calls, he rushed into the room to find January resting on the bed with a baby cuddled to her chest. Their eyes connected and all that was said, and all that had happened was forgiven, forgotten and Harry forged ahead to her bedside and kissed her soundly on the lips.

"I'm so sorry." Harry said nuzzling her cheek. January kissed his forehead and gave him a dazzling smile.

"You better be," She teased pulling at his heartstrings. "I just want you to know for punishment I named our son Thatcher."

"Truly January, we could name him Darwin Bludger Stuart." Harry said softly caressing the sleeping child's head with his palm. "January, he is beautiful."

"I wouldn't say beautiful, no he is more handsome a dashing young man, now his sister. She is a gorgeous little beauty." January said and at that moment Draco coughed and Astoria was holding another infant in her arms. She walked forward and placed the second baby in Harry's waiting arms.

The pink swaddled baby stirred gently in Harry's arms. "A girl? Is she ours as well?"

"Well I should think so Potter, your wife did push her out." Draco joked and he soon received a smack to the side of his head from his wife. Astoria had been tearing up at the happy family moment.

"What's her name?" Harry asked ignoring his friend's comment and then his whine. January smiled at her husband.

"Well after you left I thought long and hard about our last argument. You liked flower names, and I wanted a name that wasn't common. You were right. Her name is Calla, it means beautiful flower, and I thought it was perfect to honor your mother." Harry turned his face away to look down at his daughter; he pulled the pink blanket back a bit and caught a glimpse at her blondish red hair.

"Calla and Thatcher Potter." Harry said sitting down on the bed next to his fiancé.

Harry felt peace.

He felt happiness.

He felt complete.

*********************************************************8

The end.

**So wow, I know this chapter was definitely not what the chapters are normally but I was finally able to get it out, and down on paper. I think I attempted this epilogue possibly sixty different ways these past few months. You have to forgive me, but I have had a lot of things happen, 1. Trip to England for two weeks. 2. Crashed and totaled my Subaru on the highway at 75 miles an hour, survived with just a few bruises. 3. Graduated college, hells yes. 4. And now I finally was able to get this out and finished. **

**Just another thing to check off my list. **

**I hope you all are happy with the turn out. I was going to try a future chapter, but it was disgusting. Focus on a Weasley moment then back to Harry but it didn't seem right. But whatever happened, it is done and over. **

**I really enjoyed all the support and praise. This goes out to you guys. **

**Thanks again!**

**Ema.**


End file.
